Kevin De Bruyne considers quitting Belgium national team and criticizes team-mates following France defeat

Randal Kolo Muani and Ousmane Dembele both found the back of the net on either side of half-time, leading France to a convincing 2-0 win at Parc Olympique Lyonnais. The victory was a much-needed redemption for Didier Deschamps' squad after their 3-1 loss to Italy.

Belgium enjoyed the majority of the possession in Lyon but looked disjointed for the most part and struggled to create clear-cut chances for themselves, managing just four shots on target across the 90 minutes.

De Bruyne, who captained Belgium to a 3-1 win over Israel on Friday night, cut an increasingly frustrated figure as the clock wound down and failed to keep a lid on his emotions after the final whistle.

It’s the second time Belgium have lost to France this summer, with Les Blues coming out on top from the sides’ round-of-16 clash at Euro 2016 back in July.

‘I quit, I quit,’ the Manchester City attacking midfielder told Belgium’s sports director, Franky Vercauteren, after their latest defeat to France according to HLN.

Vercauteren tried his best to console De Bruyne but the six-time Premier League winner simply shook his head and walked away before exchanging a few words with Kylian Mbappe.

Des images inédites de Kevin De Bruyne, qui semble dépité, en grande discussion avec Frank Vercauteren puis Kylian Mbappé après ce #BELFRA. 👀 #RTLsports pic.twitter.com/2mKMnPpJpy

Speaking to Belgian outlet VTM not long after, De Bruyne remained visibly upset and frustrated with the performance his side had produced in the match.

Asked whether France were the better team, De Bruyne responded bluntly: ‘Yes, that’s right. There’s not much to say about it.’

‘We were six at the back. There was no connection. Not even in the second half.’

Pressed on Belgium’s tactical approach, an increasingly agitated De Bruyne added:’I wonder what you see in the match.

‘It is not about transitions. It is about the way of playing and people who do not do their job.’

On what needs to be improved, De Bruyne replied: ‘I can’t say that here.

‘I said that to the team at half-time. I’m not going to repeat that in the media.’

De Bruyne suggested some of his fellow countrymen had failed to meet the minimum standard required to represent Belgium.

‘It has to be better in every way. The standard is the top. If you can’t handle the top, you’re not good enough,’ he continued.

‘And then you have to give everything on the field. Even that is not done by some.

‘I can accept that we are not that good. I am also the first to say that in the past. But other things are unacceptable.

‘I am not going to dwell on it. I did that when I was 18 years old at Racing Genk. Now I am 33 and I don’t do that anymore.’

Domenico Tedesco said he had not yet had the chance to speak with De Bruyne and encouraged the ’emotional’ City star to ‘cool down’ before interacting with the media in the future.

‘He is our captain and has a huge winning mentality, so he can also react emotionally,’ Tedesco told Belgian media.

‘No, I haven’t spoken to him yet. That will happen. You can’t say that after a match. Kevin is a winner. He is very emotional.

‘It is normal that we are disappointed now, but we have to let the emotions cool down.’

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