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Manchester Kevin De Bruyne’s last game at the Etihad finished in the greatest possible manner as they defeated Bournemouth to be within striking distance of qualifying for the Champions League.

On Tuesday night, De Bruyne said goodbye to Manchester City with tears in his eyes as he concluded his ten-year tenure at the Etihad Stadium.

A 3-1 victory was secured by goals from Omar Marmoush, Bernardo Silva, and Nico; Daniel Jebbison of the Cherries scored a consolation goal in stoppage time.

Crucially, the outcome earned City three points that we needed to strengthen our chances of playing in the UCL for the fifteenth consecutive season.

Six-time Premier League winner De Bruyne contributed to City’s victory against Bournemouth, bringing them within one point of qualifying for the UEFA Champions League, despite his inability to add to his 72 goals in the top division.

Following a red card to teammate Mateo Kovacic, De Bruyne had to leave the play early in a tactical substitution. Manager Pep Guardiola gave him embraces and a thunderous applause from the supporters.

Players, staff, the management team, and spectators came together to honor one of the best midfielders to ever grace the Premier League as he returned to the field for a special presentation after the game, according to the Premier League.

De Bruyne returned to the field with his girlfriend Michele and three kids. His teammates gave him a guard of honor before he saw a montage on the big screen as his name was screamed by the home crowd.

When he was given a microphone to speak to the audience, the Belgian was fighting back tears.

“Very sentimental. It’s Manchester. These little children are born there. My wife and I came here to stay for a while. I never thought I’d be here for ten years. Everything was ours. We have expanded both the Club and the City.

“This squad aims to win and amuse fans. This group puts up a great deal of effort. With or without me, our team will prevail in the future. “There’s no doubt that this team will have greater success,” De Bruyne said.

The feeling for him, his family, and our supporters is what matters, City manager Guardiola said. We could see how connected everyone is based on the energy we experienced. How incredibly loving. Titles are lovely, but nothing compares to leaving a place after ten years with as much appreciation, love, and respect.

“There is no question that he will be missed on this sad day. He helped bring about the outcome, which is really significant. It has been quite pleasant.

The 33-year-old earned the Playmaker award for the most assists in a season three times, in 2017–18, 2019–20, and 2022–23, in addition to winning six Premier League championships during his ten years in Manchester. He was also named Premier League Player of the Season twice, in 2019–20 and 2021–2022.

Together with Arsenal great Thierry Henry, he set a season-long record for assists with the 20 goals he scored in 2019–20.