What sets The KDB Cup apart is its global reach, with Mamelodi Sundowns and Palmeiras competing as the first-ever non-European sides this year. De Bruyne is excited about this expansion, as he himself never had the opportunity to play against teams from outside of Europe in his youth. “When I played youth tournaments, I never played teams from outside of Europe. So to get a team from Brazil is a little bit crazy. I’m excited to watch them play,” he says. 

This year the tournament will see a mix of global powerhouses from both Europe and Belgium competing against each other, including Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Odense Boldklub, RB Leipzig, Manchester City, Ajax, PSG, KAA Gent, and Club Brugge.

While the tournament goes global, De Bruyne is also happy to give Belgian teams the opportunity to compete. “I want the Belgian youth involved because competing against the top international clubs is good for them. And to be fair, there’s always a couple of Belgian teams who do well, so that’s good.” De Bruyne spent time coaching the Man City U14s while receiving his coaching badges and saw some players he coached to play in the tournament last year. “They had their best result. So maybe it was the coaching,” he jokes.

The KDB Cup is powered by Veo, which provides teams with video and analytics after games, as well as the ability for friends, family, and fans to live-stream the tournament for free on the Veo Live App. Last year, the tournament saw viewers from over 104 countries, with over 50,000 viewers during the course of the weekend.

De Bruyne's passion project has not only given young players a platform to showcase their skills but has also contributed to the growth of football at the grassroots level. The KDB Cup has become a significant event on the football calendar, attracting top teams from around the world and providing invaluable opportunities for young players.

-

Keep up to date with the KDB Cup here.