Winning his 34th international cap, the 24-year old celebrated his move in fine style to inspire Belgium to a 3-1 win over Bosnia, earning the Man of the Match award.
Living up to his billing as the “assist king”, City’s newest recruit set up Belgium’s equaliser with an inch perfect out-swinging corner 22 minutes into the Euro 2016 qualifier.
That cancelled out Edin Dzeko’s 43rd international goal which opened the scoring after 15 minutes and it was De Bruyne who put Belgium ahead on the stroke of half-time with a stunning 25 yard strike.
Eden Hazard made sure of the points and completed the scoring with 13 minutes left to play, stroking home a penalty he had won for himself.
That’s how it stayed producing a result which means that it’s all still to play for in Euro 2016 qualification Group B with three games left to play.
De Bruyne lined up on the right hand side on the opposite flank to Hazard in support of Romelu Lukaku up top.
At the back, skipper Vincent Kompany was partnered by fit-again Thomas Vermaelen and so on-loan City defender Jason Denayer dropped to the bench.
Belgium quickly settled into their patient passing game and there were some nice touches from our new signing, including a slick chest control and pass on the touchline but it was the visitors who raced into an early lead from a familiar source.
The cross from the right was played slightly behind Dzeko who was standing just inside the Belgium penalty area.
That meant the former City no.10 had to generate all of the power in his header himself but he did this superbly, craning his neck and looping the ball over the stranded Thibault Courtois.
It was his fifth goal in four games against Belgium.
The hosts weren’t behind for long though, equalising seven minutes later and it was the City new boy who loaded the bullet for Fellaini.
De Bruyne’s swinging corner from the right took out the Bosnian defence and landed invitingly for the United midfielder to power his header past Asmir Begovic.
He nearly had another assist courtesy of a sublime outside-of-the-foot cross just before half-time but a minute later, he made an even more telling contribution.
Receiving the ball with his back to goal, De Bruyne turned and, in the same movement, fired into the bottom corner for his first Belgium goal since October on his 34th appearance.
Kompany nearly provided his new club teammate with an assist 10 minutes into the second period but De Bruyne’s left-footed strike caught a nick off an opposition defender, enabling Begovic to get down and make the save.
Belgium did come under pressure from a Bosnian side which discovered a second wind after half-time but they held firm and they could have sealed the win 20 minutes from time when an inspired reverse pass from De Bruyne played Lukaku in.
The Everton striker was clean through but Begovic came to the rescue and it looked like the Red Devils would have to be content with their one-goal winning margin.
That was until the 77th minute when Eden Hazard converted a penalty he had won for himself to make it 3-1.
With two minutes left to go, De Bruyne was given a deserved standing ovation following a Man of the Match winning performance as he was replaced by Dries Mertens.
Belgium are next in action against Cyprus on Sunday night - they still lie three points behind Wales after Chris Coleman’s side beat Cyprus 1-0.
Elsewhere, EDS goalkeeper Angus Gunn earned his reward for an excellent 12 months with City as he was handed his England u21s debut by Gareth Southgate in their friendly against USA u23s at Deepdale.
The City stopper came on as a 60th minute substitute and preserved England’s clean sheet in a 1-0 win given to them by James Wilson’s second half strike.
Finally, Marcus Wood and Will Patching both featured for England u18s in their 2-0 victory over Holland in Capelle.
Wood played all 90 minutes for the Young Lions, while Patching came on as a 75th minutes substitute.
City’s Rodney Kongolo played all 90 minutes for the Oranje.
