“The best I have faced” – Real Madrid star Rodrygo names Manchester City legend as greatest-ever opponent | OneFootball

Real Madrid forward Rodrygo has revealed that former Manchester City star Kevin De Bruyne is the greatest player he has ever come up against. 

De Bruyne compiled history and talent in a City shirt to become one of, if not, the club’s best ever players – having won 18 major trophies, scored 108 goals and provided 177 assists over the course of a trophy-laden decade at the Etihad Stadium.

The Belgian led City to their maiden UEFA Champions League title in 2023 en route to a historic treble, solidifying his status as arguably the club’s greatest-ever player as he played through a hamstring injury in the closing months of the season to help the Blues over the line.

The 34-year-old suffered a fractured nose and eye socket after colliding with Antonio Rudiger around the hour mark in the 2021 UEFA Champions League final against Chelsea in Portugal, where his absence was felt dearly as City suffered heartbreak in Europe as they narrowly came up short in the final.

That wasn’t the end of the atrocities City supporters have endured in Europe over the years and in a situation which no one could mistake for déjà vu – when De Bruyne was again forced off in the 2023 UEFA Champions League final against Inter in Istanbul – Pep Guardiola’s side won it on a historic night for the eight-time Premier League champions.

Rodri’s 68th minute goal sealed European glory on the day but just over a month prior, De Bruyne produced one of his finest performances to thrust momentum onto his side heading back to the Etihad Stadium, where City eventually prevailed 4-0; winning the semi-final tie with an aggregate score of 5-1.

Earlier this week, Manchester City and Real Madrid were drawn against each other in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 – with the upcoming games in Madrid and Manchester set to mark the 12th and13th times they have faced off in the last seven seasons.

In conversation with CazeTVOficial, Manchester City’s familiar foe and Real Madrid superstar Rodrygo has reacted to the draw and named a former Blues legend as the best player he has ever faced during his career.

“(Kevin) De Bruyne, the best I have faced. Technically, his movements in open spaces, the passes,” the 25-year-old said in immense praise of the Napoli playmaker.

It was in the opening leg of the 2023 semi-final tie between Madrid and City wherein De Bruyne scored a screamer to equalise in the second-half and eventually help City lift their first edition of the trophy. Since Guardiola’s arrival to the Etihad Stadium in 2016, the Blues have played the La Liga giants an astonishing 11 times in the UEFA Champions League.

In the most recent of those clashes at the Santiago Bernabeu in December 2025, goals from Nico O’Reilly and Erling Haaland helped Manchester City come from behind and secure a 2-1 win after Rodrygo has broken the deadlock after 28 minutes.

“It helps, for our club, as much as you play the best possible teams in the competition, you learn, you improve and are better in the future,” Guardiola said as he reacted to a very predictable Round of 16 draw ahead of Saturday’s Premier League trip to Leeds United.

From what seems to be an annual occurrence, Guardiola will have to mastermind his way past an Alvaro Arbeloa side much stronger than the one Manchester City played nearly three months ago – granted former Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso was on the brink of dismissal at that point. 

Still, with the strength of City’s attack, partnered by attractive form from Antoine Semenyo, Rodri, Bernardo Silva and Haaland of late, there is no challenge too big for this group of players – and being the best often involves beating the best.