A host of impressive showings spring to mind for a man who has produced time and time again at City and here, our Club Journalists pick their standout moments from the Belgian playmaker....
Rob Pollard: Goal v Spurs December 2017
His performance against Tottenham earlier this season was one of the best I’ve ever seen at the Etihad Stadium.
It pretty much had everything: quality on the ball, desire and work rate off it, fight, heart, determination and a fine goal. Tottenham’s attempts to disrupt his rhythm only made him more inspired, and Dele Alli may well regret the heavy challenge that appeared at first as though it may have ended De Bruyne’s afternoon.
After that foul, the Belgium midfielder completely took over and delivered a match-winning performance of true greatness.
His goal was outstanding. Three touches inside the box to beat Eric Dier and then a powerful left-footed strike that gave Hugo Lloris no chance. The ball flying up off the Spurs ‘keeper’s arm and into the roof of the net only added to its aesthetic quality.
He then won a penalty by skinning Jan Vertonghen, which Gabriel Jesus missed, before sparking the move that led to City’s brilliant third, as the gulf in class between the two sides began to be reflected in the scoreline.
Time and again his running power and ability to find the right pass was Spurs’ undoing. This was a wonderful performance.
Caroline Oatway: Goal v PSG April 2016
A moment of magic; a piece of history…
Kevin De Bruyne’s magnificent winner in the 2015/16 visit of Paris Saint-Germain booked City a place in the Champions League semi-finals for the very first time – and it was a strike well worthy of such a feat.
A sell-out crowd witnessed an emotional and tense affair at the Etihad Stadium. The Blues had earned a hard-fought 2-2 draw in France the previous week; the tie was balanced on a knife edge.
Sergio Aguero spurned the chance to hand the hosts the lead from the penalty spot, while the City defence battled valiantly against the likes of Edinson Cavani, Angel Di Maria and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
As the pressure intensified, the time arrived for a hero to step forward.
De Bruyne accepted the task.
With 15 minutes to go, he received Fernandinho’s lay-off on the edge of the box and calmly took a touch before curling a delicious low effort past Kevin Trapp to send the Etihad Stadium into raptures and City into the unknown territory of a European last four place.
An act of individual Belgian brilliance.
Paul Handler: Goal v United September 2016
De Bruyne’s goal against United at Old Trafford summed up so much about him as a player.
He sees the game a fraction of a second ahead of most and that allowed him to nick ahead of United’s defence, studding a loose ball perfectly into his own path.
From there it was a one-on-one against one of the world’s best goalkeepers, David De Gea.
There was plenty of time for De Bruyne to think about it. Panic? Not a bit of it.
He produced a brilliant finish, opening his body but then snapping his right-boot over the ball at the last moment to wrong-foot the keeper. Vision, decisiveness and technique – classic De Bruyne!
John Edwards: Goal v Chelsea September 2017
Big players produce in the big games, a trait which has become synonymous with Kevin De Bruyne.
Whether it’s making a telling pass or finding the back of the net himself, the Belgian is so often involved in key moments.
He did the latter at Stamford Bridge, when City were on top in their toughest test of the season, but without a goal to show for it.
And the strike was worthy of winning any game.
Driving forward from deep he showed intelligence to play a one-two with Gabriel Jesus before angling a fierce shot beyond Thibaut Courtois off his supposed weaker left foot.
But it was not just the goal. The Belgian was at the heart of much of City’s best play, with his probing passing causing the home side problems time and time again.
It was typical De Bruyne, producing when it mattered most.
