Syndicated reporting provided by Stats Perform and reviewed by the SoccerNews editorial team.
Kevin De Bruyne insisted he “can still contribute” for Belgium after his stellar performance against Turkiye in the Nations League.
Belgium won 3-0 at Stade Maurice Dufrasne on Friday after two stunning goals from De Bruyne and a third from Romelu Lukaku.
De Bruyne’s first saw him nutmeg Abdulkerim Bardakci before firing into the bottom-right corner, and his second was an even better curler into the top-left corner from distance.
The Napoli midfielder also created three chances, a tally only bettered by Mika Godts (four) for Belgium, while he also won five of his 10 duels before being replaced in the 82nd minute.
De Bruyne has now directly contributed to three goals (two goals, one assist) in as many Nations League games during this break, and the 35-year-old knows he can still make an impact for Mark van Bommel’s side.
“I try to lead by example for the younger players, and they follow easily,” De Bruyne said.
“I feel I can still contribute. I am enjoying myself, and that is the main thing.”
Goodmorning, Belgium. pic.twitter.com/GadxFnU3DQ
— Belgian Red Devils (@BelRedDevils) October 3, 2026
Belgium won the expected goals (xG) battle 1.58 to 1.38, with Turkiye missing some good chances, most notably through Merih Demiral just before half-time.
At the other end, Dodi Lukebakio twice struck the woodwork, while Hans Vanaken saw a clever flick kept out by Ugurcan Cakir.
“Winning at home was our goal,” said Belgium captain Youri Tielemans.
“It was an open game, but we took our chances and could have scored even more.
“They played very openly, leaving a lot of space in midfield. In the final third, we still need to make better decisions.”
Belgium’s final game of the international break comes away to France on Monday, and a win would see Van Bommel’s side go top of Group A1 in the Nations League.
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