After Carrasco And Meunier, Now It's Kevin De Bruyne's Turn To Be Absent For Belgium In The UEFA Nations League

Kevin de Bruyne gives the captain's armband to Edden Hazzard. (Photo: Doc. Antara/Reuters)

JAKARTA - Kevin De Bruyne is one of three Belgian national team players allowed to leave the squad early in the 2022-23 UEFA Nations League match following the 1-1 draw against Wales on Saturday 11 June. Yannick Carrasco and Thomas Meunier were also allowed.

That way, the three players will miss defending Belgium in the last match of their four-match schedule in Nations League Division A Group 4 this month, namely the trip to Warsaw against Poland on Tuesday 14 June next week.

"De Bruyne has given enough, so has Carrasco," said Belgium coach Roberto Martinez.

"Meunier played two games in quick succession after not playing for three months. We can't force anyone," Martinez added.

While De Bruyne has been one of the most vocal players to criticize the overcrowded Nations League schedule after he ended a long season with Manchester City, he admits he is happy and willing to continue playing against Poland if necessary.

"I've played three games for almost 90 minutes. Physically I'm fine and I would have liked to have played the last game against Poland, but it's the coach's decision," he told reporters.

De Bruyne left after Belgium threw away the lead at Cardiff and allowed Wales to equalize in the 86th minute.

"It's a shame about the equaliser at the end," added De Bruyne. "We took the lead at the start of the second half, but then we forgot to play football. But with all the changes in the team it wasn't the worst performance."

"We lacked rhythm and all the players were tired, after playing so many games."

Martinez was angered by Wales' late goal, which was scored by Brennan Johnson and earlier ruled offside but later confirmed after lengthy VAR checks.

"A shocking decision," said the Belgium coach, adding that VAR wrongly reversed the linesman's decision.

"The lines don't seem to be parallel, the assistant was completely right. We were robbed," he told Belgium's VTM television.