De Bruyne asks for a break: "I haven't had a vacation for eight or nine years..."

Many players have criticized the Nations League. With such a long and busy season, the last thing some players needed was an extra game.

De Bruyne has criticized the competition. He does not understand that four games are played in ten days and considers it excessive.

"In my opinion, it's a bit too much. As a player, the season has been very heavy," the Belgian star said in an interview published Friday by the daily newspaper 'Het Laatste Nieuws', hours before the Belgium national team takes on the Netherlands.

De Bruyne, who is about to turn 31, noted that he has been "a week without training or games and the body is in full breakdown." "So to play four games in ten days is asking for trouble," he added.

The player, who this season has been proclaimed Premier League champion with Manchester City and has won the trophy for the best player of the competition, explained that "for eight or nine years" he has not had time to take a vacation and assured that "the body needs a rest from time to time".

De Bruyne is the eighth Belgian player with the most minutes played this season (3,722 in 50 games), behind only goalkeepers Thibaut Courtois and Simon Mignolet, as well as outfield players Lois Openda, Charles De Ketelaere, Hans Vanaken, Youri Tielemans and Jan Vertonghen.

However, the player assured that he is at the disposal of Belgium's coach, Roberto Martinez, and that he has not asked for a vacation. "If I have to play all four games, I will play," added the midfielder, who in any case pointed out that with 32 players called up he expects the minutes to be distributed.

"I guess everyone is going to play. If not, it's weird to call so many. If they don't play, it means they're here instead of going on vacation," he concluded.