Belgian international star Kevin De Bruyne continues to preside over an illustrious career at the top level of football in Europe after achieving an impressive Premier League milestone during the first half of Manchester City’s away day on the south coast against relegation-threatened Southampton.
With the scoreline square at nil-nil on the stroke of half-time, the 31-year-old Citizens creator-in-chief once again produced a picture-perfect ball to Norwegian goal machine Erling Haaland for the 22-year-old to head home past Gavin Bazunu to push City to a well-deserved lead.
It was De Bruyne’s 100th assist across his Premier League career, making him just the fifth player to ever achieve such a creative return.
100 – Kevin De Bruyne has become the fifth player to assist 100 goals in the Premier League:
162 – Giggs
111 – Fàbregas
103 – Rooney
102 – Lampard
100 – De BruyneGames needed to reach 100:
237 – De Bruyne
293 – Fàbregas
367 – Giggs
445 – Rooney
559 – LampardKing. pic.twitter.com/p5O3r8BvCA
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) April 8, 2023
De Bruyne now finds himself among the PL’s greatest-ever names since its inception 30 years ago, joining Ryan Giggs (162), Cesc Fàbregas (111), Wayne Rooney (103), and Frank Lampard (102). But most impressively is how quickly he reached that milestone; faster than any other.
Needing just 237 matches to reach 100 assists, the Belgian maestro did it in 56-fewer matches than Fàbregas and over 100 more than Giggs and the rest. Given that the former KRC Genk, Chelsea, SV Werder Bremen, and VfL Wolfsburg midfielder is already 31, there is no telling how much further he can climb up the list.
Even if he cannot outstrip Giggs for the top spot on the all-time list, few would suggest he could struggle to pull ahead of Fàbregas while firmly cementing his legacy on the blue half of Manchester.
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