Just 30 minutes ago, the European football world was shocked when Kevin De Bruyne – the outstanding conductor of Manchester City – suddenly revealed the truth that had been hidden for a long time. In a short but emotional interview, the Belgian star revealed that he had been treated “cruelly and coldly” by the very team he had devoted his youth to, and that his decision to leave could no longer be changed.

According to De Bruyne, the simmering conflict between him and the Man City leadership had lasted for more than a year, starting when he suffered a serious injury and had to sit out for nearly half the season. While fans still believed that the club would support him wholeheartedly to return, behind the meeting room doors, things were completely different.

“They say I am the soul of the team, but when I can’t play, they treat me like a burden. I was forced to sign a $10 million contract just to promote projects I don’t believe in. If I refuse, they will cut my bonuses and reduce my playing time when I return. I feel betrayed,” De Bruyne said in tears.

The sharing caused a stir on social networks. Fans could not believe that the hero of Man City – a symbol of loyalty and dedication – had to endure such mistreatment. Thousands of comments flooded Twitter and Instagram in just a few minutes:

“I can’t believe Man City treated him like that.”

“If this is true, they have lost the heart of the team.”

Some sources close to the team revealed that De Bruyne had repeatedly asked to speak directly with the board, but all exchanges fell silent. At times, he was even asked to participate in promotional events while he was recovering from an injury, making his health condition worse.

A former Man City player (unnamed) revealed:

“Kevin is a very emotional person. He always puts the team first, even sacrificing his health for Man City. But when he needed them most, they turned their backs. That completely broke him.”

The incident became even more shocking when the British media confirmed that De Bruyne had officially sent a request to leave the club at the end of this season. Although there has been no official announcement from Man City, many internal sources confirmed that he is negotiating with a big club in Saudi Arabia, who are willing to give him a record salary and a special role in the squad.

Coach Pep Guardiola, who once considered De Bruyne as his “right-hand man” in tactics, is said to be very heartbroken by this news. He briefly shared in the press conference:

“I will not comment much, but I always respect every decision of Kevin. He is a true legend.”

For Manchester City fans, this may be the saddest news in many years. A great chapter in history may end not with applause and titles, but with disappointment and deep hurt.

De Bruyne, who once said “I don’t need money, I just need to play football with passion”, now leaves because of a forced contract worth 10 million USD – what he calls “the rope of hypocrisy”.

If he really leaves Etihad, not only will Manchester City lose the greatest creator in the club’s history, but the Premier League will also lose a symbol of loyalty and class.

Whatever the case, one thing is certain: Kevin De Bruyne chose to leave not for money – but for his own self-respect.