Kevin De Bruyne To Wear Maradona's No.10 Jersey At Napoli? Here's The Truth...
Will Kevin De Bruyne wear the no.10 jersey for Napoli, previously retired for Diego Maradona?
Kevin De Bruyne was asked about wearing the no.10 jersey for Napoli following his summer move from Manchester City, calling it a significant honour to don the iconic shirt number previously retired for the legendary Diego Maradona. However, he added, 'I'm my own player."
De Bruyne has been training with Napoli for the past week after joining on a free transfer from Manchester City, where he spent ten years and won six league titles, two FA Cups, five League Cups, and the UEFA Champions League.
The Belgian was officially unveiled to the press on Saturday, holding his introductory press conference in the afternoon.
What Jersey Number Will Kevin De Bruyne Wear At Napoli?
Reporters at De Bruyne's first Napoli press conference inquired about photographs that circulated earlier, showing him wearing Maradona's retired no.10 during training.
In response, De Bruyne confirmed he will wear the no.10 shirt for the 2024-25 season.
'I would say I was a bit surprised in the beginning, because I knew that the number was retired, but in another way it's an honour. It's an honour from the team and from the club to give me this responsibility," De Bruyne said.
He clarified that a shirt number does not add extra pressure for a player at his level, as 'the pressure comes from itself if you play for a big team like Napoli."
'I don't think it adds any more pressure," De Bruyne added. 'I think the pressure comes from itself. If you play for big teams like Napoli, the pressure will be there. There's a team that wants to win, you know what you have to do as a player and a squad, but I don't believe that a number or anything else will add to the pressure.
'Maradona is Maradona, he's one of the legends of the game and he's synonymous with Napoli anyway. I'm grateful, I'm proud, but I'm my own player. I'm going to try and do the job the best I can do and hopefully I can bring pleasure to the team, to the city and to the fans and get some good performances in there."
Reports suggested that Kevin De Bruyne would be sportng the number 11 at Napoli.
view comments
Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News18
43 minutes ago
- News18
Rishabh Pant Asked To Play 'Proper Cricket' In England, 'Save Risky Shots For IPL'
Last Updated: Former India wicketkeeper Farokh Engineer advised Rishabh Pant to save risky shots for the IPL and show more discipline in Tests. Former India wicketkeeper-batter Farokh Engineer has asked the men's Test incumbent, Rishabh Pant, to save his unorthodox, risky shots for the Indian Premier League. Engineer gave his green light for Pant to play as a specialist batter in the fourth Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy in Manchester due to his finger injury, but said he'll need to show much more discipline. Pant picked up a blow to his index finger while wicketkeeping in the third Test at Lord's. He didn't look entirely comfortable while batting but managed to score a half-century in the first innings, before falling victim to Jofra Archer's jaffa in the second. India lost the Test and are trailing the series 2-1. Assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate had confirmed that even if Pant can't keep wickets in Manchester, he'll play as a specialist batter. 'Absolutely. Save those (risky shots) for IPL," Engineer told RevSportz. 'Test cricket demands discipline. From a number three or four, you expect them to play proper cricket, get big scores, and build innings. Rishabh has scored centuries in both innings of a Test, which is remarkable. So yes, he could play purely as a batsman, especially with England's strong bowling lineup, now including Jofra Archer and Atkinson," he added. Interestingly, Engineer himself was considered too flamboyant for his time. He revealed that he spoke to Pant about his shot selection as well but got the typical response. 'For the runs he's scored, yes, he can play as a pure batter. But Rishabh is unpredictable. Whatever comes to his mind, he does it. I joked with him about his shot selection, and he just laughed—said he does what feels right in the moment. He has the confidence and has gotten away with it often. But he needs to be more responsible in crucial moments, like right before lunch or at the end of a day's play. Still, he's immensely talented. He invents his own shots, and thankfully, helmets allow that now. In our time, we wouldn't have had any teeth left," Engineer added. If Pant is picked as a specialist batter, India will still need a wicketkeeper in the 11. Dhruv Jurel is the backup option available in the squad and could come in for one of the all-rounders or top-order batters. view comments First Published: July 20, 2025, 16:45 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
News18
an hour ago
- News18
Boxer Nishant Dev Extends Flawless Run With TKO Against LaQuan Evans
Last Updated: The 24-year-old got the better of the seasoned Evans in the sixth round of their Super Welterweight bout to register his third professional win on the trot. Nishant Dev continued his perfect run in the professional circuit as the Indian pugilist sealed a Technical Knockout win over American LaQuan Evans in Frisco, USA on Sunday. The 24-year-old got the better of the seasoned Evans in the sixth round of their Super Welterweight bout to register his third professional win on the trot. Dev unleashed a flurry of unanswered punches that left Evans defenseless, prompting the referee to stop the contest at 1:58 in the sixth and final round. The fight was part of the undercard for the unification clash between WBC champion Jesse Rodriguez and WBO titleholder Phumelela Cafu. This latest win builds on Dev's earlier knockout victories against American Alton Wiggins and Mexico's Josue Silva in January and June, respectively. A bronze medallist in the light middleweight (71kg) division at the 2023 World Championships and one of India's most consistent amateur performers, Dev turned professional earlier this year after a narrow quarterfinal loss to Mexico's Marco Verde at the 2024 Paris Olympic qualifiers. Now training under former pro Ronald Simms, Dev is signed with renowned promoter Eddie Hearn and Matchroom Boxing. (With Inputs From PTI) view comments First Published: July 20, 2025, 11:30 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
News18
an hour ago
- News18
'Back Again': Venus Williams Set For Peyton Stearns Challenge On DC Open Return
Last Updated: Williams is scheduled to take on compatriot Stearns in the first-round single clash, and will also feature in the doubles section alongside partner Hailey Baptiste. The legendary Venus Williams is set to make her first competitive appearance in 16 months as the former World No.1 is slated to make her presence felt at the DC Open. Williams is scheduled to take on compatriot Peyton Stearns in the first-round single clash at the event in Washington, and will also feature in the doubles section alongside partner Hailey Baptiste. The 45-year-old Williams, who has won seven Grand Slam singles titles, last contested a draw at Miami in March of 2024. The North American summer hard-court season has officially begun with the release of the main draw for the WTA 500 DC Open on Saturday. Twenty-eight women will compete for this year's title, including five Grand Slam singles champions. The top four seeds receive first-round byes. World No. 4 Jessica Pegula leads the field as the No. 1 seed. Pegula won her first career WTA singles title in Washington six years ago in 2019. An all-American first-round match between Hailey Baptiste and 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin is featured in the other side of this quarter. No. 6 seed Kenin won their only previous meeting at the 2021 Roland Garros. Venus Williams is in the second quarter, which features No. 3 seed Elena Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon champion. After her first-round bye, she will face either rising Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko or Anastasia Potapova. Clara Tauson of Denmark is the No. 4 seed and has received a first-round bye in the fourth quarter. Tauson is enjoying her first week as a Top 20 player following her second-week run at Wimbledon. At the other end of this quarter, former Top 10 player Danielle Collins of the United States will take on No. 8 seed Magda Linette of Poland in the first round. Collins leads their head-to-head 1-0, with a win in 2018. Another American, Emma Navarro, anchors the draw as the No. 2 seed in the last quarter. After her first-round bye, she will meet either 2023 Washington finalist Maria Sakkari or Katie Boulter. This quarter also features two major champions. First, 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu meets No. 7 seed Marta Kostyuk in the opening round. Kostyuk leads their head-to-head 2-1, including a win on clay in Madrid this year. Next, four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka faces Yulia Putintseva in her opener. Osaka and Putintseva have a tied 3-3 head-to-head record overall, but Osaka has won their last three matches, including two meetings last year. view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
