De Bruyne's wife reveals unhappiness in Naples and pushes for Belgium return

Kevin De Bruyne is experiencing a difficult time at Naples, and it is his partner Michele Lacroix-De Bruyne who has said so publicly. In an interview given to Belgian magazine NINA last September, she described a constrained family life and an isolated husband, leaving little doubt about the future of the Belgian midfielder at Napoli.

“Kevin lives a very withdrawn life at Napoli. It’s not very fun for him. Plus, we can’t do anything as a family in the city,” she said, comparing the situation to their years in Manchester. “Where we lived, people saw us so much that it was no longer special for them. We could go out without being photographed once. In Naples, it’s impossible.”

The mother of three children — Mason, Rome and Suri — was explicit about the couple’s intentions: “We say to each other more and more often: ‘We’re going to live here in Limburg. The sooner we get there, the better.’ ” A return to Belgium that, according to the Daily Mail, is now more topical than ever.

On the pitch, the context is not helping matters. Arriving in summer 2025 after ten years at Manchester City, De Bruyne is playing for a Napoli side that sits in a disappointing tenth place in Serie A. The player was also reportedly involved in an altercation in the dressing room with teammates earlier in the season.

Out of contract next June, the 33-year-old midfielder appears to have reached a clear conclusion about his Italian adventure. His wife expressed it with disarming frankness: “At some point, football is no longer the priority. You’ve achieved everything, done everything. Why would you turn your children’s lives upside down?” Words that sound very much like an announcement of departure.