Kevin De Bruyne Welcomes Conte Napoli Departure And Criticises Tactics

Kevin De Bruyne has welcomed Antonio Conte’s exit from Napoli, criticising the coach’s cautious tactics and saying the approach did not match personal ideas about football, while also admitting uncertainty over staying at the club as Napoli search for a new coach.

Conte departed after the 2025-26 Serie A season, one year after guiding Napoli to the title. De Bruyne had arrived as a free agent the previous summer, began strongly, then lost a large part of the campaign through injury before returning for the decisive weeks.

De Bruyne discussed the season in an interview with Het Nieuwsblad and described how Conte’s system limited personal influence. The Belgian international said the tactical structure, particularly the formation and defensive attitude, reduced attacking freedom and meant playing outside the preferred role on the pitch.

"Obviously it was difficult for me because Conte has a very different vision of football to mine. In truth, I never had the opportunity to play in my preferred position. In any case, I always tried to give my all for the team. We played very defensively. If you try to win every game by a one-goal margin with a 4-5-1 formation, you play a certain type of football. At the start of the season, we sat back even deeper."

Napoli often relied on a single centre-forward, and De Bruyne highlighted how that affected attacking numbers. Rasmus Hojlund’s Serie A return under Conte, along with wider offensive output, was used as an example of how the strategy limited scoring chances for the whole side.

"Our centre-forward [Rasmus Hojlund] scored just [12 league]goals, so you know the statistics are not going to be great. For me, yes, [I am happy Conte left]. As far as I am concerned, he was not obliged to stay."

Despite injury issues and tactical frustrations, De Bruyne still produced regular contributions. Across all competitions, the midfielder recorded nine goal involvements and remained one of Napoli’s most creative players as the club finished second in Serie A behind a more consistent rival.

De Bruyne made 21 appearances and delivered five goals plus four assists in the 2025-26 season. The midfielder also created 40 chances, a figure surpassed only by Matteo Politano, who produced 51 chances, while Hojlund finished with 12 league goals as Napoli fell short of defending the Scudetto.

"There were promises made last summer on the way that we would be playing, but at the end of the day, not much of it happened. I found that a pity. Football needs to be enjoyable, and unfortunately, I found that aspect lacking. There'sno point beating around the bush; we have different visions of football. I never got to play in my position under Conte."

Alongside tactical complaints, De Bruyne underlined disappointment that pre-season discussions on style were not reflected during the campaign. The gap between expectations and reality left the midfielder questioning the direction of the project at Napoli following Conte’s departure.

Massimiliano Allegri, dismissed by AC Milan earlier in the week, is reported as a leading candidate to replace Conte. De Bruyne has one year left on the contract and suggested the next steps will depend on talks with the club about plans and style under any new coach.

"I still have a year left on my contract, but I want to talk about it. There was a lot of talk last year of how we'd play and what we would do, but none of it happened," he said.

De Bruyne’s comments leave Napoli facing a key summer, with the coaching appointment and tactical vision likely to influence the midfielder’s decision, after a season where injuries, defensive football and missed promises shaped both individual output and the club’s second-place finish.