De Bruyne: Playing Salah again will be like old times

Kevin De Bruyne is embracing his role as one of Belgium's elder statesmen, stating he can now fully appreciate his fourth, and likely final, World Cup appearance. Ahead of the team's Group G opener against Egypt on Monday, the 34-year-old midfielder remarked that his experience allows him to truly grasp the significance of the opportunity.

“I’m probably at a point in my career where I can enjoy the moment more,” De Bruyne commented.

“When you’re younger, all you want to do is play football and not be bothered by anything else, but I think now I can better understand what it means to represent your country for a fourth time at a World Cup. It’s an honor to still be here after playing for the national team for about 16 years, so that means I’ve done something right,” De Bruyne continued, as quoted by BTA.

“I’ve played against Mohamed Salah for about 10 years. It will be nice to see him and compete again, just like in the good old days,” the Belgian international added before the match against Egypt.