When Kevin De Bruyne signed for Napoli on a free transfer following the expiration of his Manchester City contract on June 30, 2025, it was already one of the biggest stories of the summer. A modern midfield maestro, widely regarded as one of the Premier League’s all-time greats, had decided to swap Manchester’s blue for Naples’ sky blue.
After years of glittering success, multiple Premier League titles, domestic cups, a Champions League triumph, the historic treble of 2023, and even the FIFA Club World Cup, KDB had nothing left to prove in England.
Now, he was after a new challenge. A new culture. A new canvas. Reported by Football Italia upon signing, the Belgian explained his motive for singing for the Naples side by stating,
The team won the Scudetto last year, so they are in the Champions League. I’m hopeful that we can create something good for the future together. The team wants to win; they are ambitious… It looks like a really good team put together, so for me it was a really nice project to come into, and hopefully I can help the team get their ambitions through.
Napoli, under the combative genius of Antonio Conte, presented an offer that the Belgian just could not reject. The deal was as big off the pitch as it was on it—a €10 million signing bonus, a total package reportedly between €25 and €27 million over two years (with an optional third), and a base salary of €6 million per year, plus performance incentives. Football Italia broke the story, and on June 12, 2025, it became official. By July 1, he was already in preseason training with his new teammates.
And that’s when things got… interesting.
But just as fans were still absorbing the shock of the signing, a small but striking detail from his first training session sparked a wave of speculation, one rooted in history and identity.
The Number That Broke the Internet
As De Bruyne took to the training field for the first time in Napoli colors, a sharp-eyed fan zoomed in on a curious detail: he was wearing the No. 10 training kit.
Cue chaos.
On X (formerly Twitter), excitement exploded. Manchester City fans were euphoric, interpreting it as a symbolic passing of the torch.
One tweeted:
“Kevin De Bruyne wearing Maradona’s iconic number 10 for Napoli. It was destined for me.”
Another added:
“If anyone can don that magical Napoli 10, it’s KDB. Okay, he won’t take on defenders like Maradona, but he’ll be as effective.”
And another fan, clearly moved by the moment, wrote:
“Big shoes to fill. Maradona’s shadow looms large. But if anyone’s got the vision to honour that number 10, it’s KDB.”
The idea of KDB, a playmaking genius in his own right, wearing the most sacred shirt in Naples was a thrilling thought for neutrals and supporters alike.
But not everyone was pleased.
For some, the sight of KDB in No. 10 was a footballing fantasy. But for others, especially in Naples, it stirred unease. Because that number carries more than prestige. It carries a legacy.
Reverence and Reactions: A Fanbase Divided
For many Napoli ultras, the No. 10 is not just a number; it is an eternal symbol of Diego Armando Maradona. And that symbol is untouchable.
One concerned Napoli fan tweeted:
“Better not be true.”
Another brushed it off:
“No chance. It’s just training.”
But some questioned the principle:
“What was the point of retiring it then?”
And one comment summed up the purist frustration:
“This is dumb. The game is gone.”
These reactions weren’t just about Kevin De Bruyne. They were about history, memory, and loyalty. The No. 10 shirt was officially retired by Napoli in 2000 to honor Maradona’s mythic legacy after he led the club to two Scudetti and a UEFA Cup and brought glory to a city that still chants his name every Sunday.
But to truly understand the gravity of what that number means, you have to go back to the days when Diego Maradona ruled Naples like a king, and No. 10 became sacred cloth. So, let’s just do that.
Why the No. 10 Is Sacred in Naples
Between 1984 and 1991, Diego Maradona didn’t just play for Napoli. He transformed them. He turned an underdog into a champion. And in doing so, he became Naples itself—rebellious, proud, magical, flawed, but beautiful.
The club retired the No. 10 jersey in 2000, forever associating it with his legend.
However, during a brief and desperate period between 2004 and 2006, Napoli then reformed after bankruptcy and playing in Serie C1 and were forced to reissue the number due to league regulations that mandated shirts 1 to 11.
Mariano Bogliacino, on 18 May 2006, was the last player to score while wearing the No. 10 in a competitive fixture (Supercoppa di Serie C1). Additionally, Roberto Sosa, a former Napoli player, also wore it in the league play (Serie A) weeks earlier.
Since then, it has remained untouched. Frozen in time. A shrine stitched into fabric.
While social media simmered, the press began to pour fuel on the fire—some credible, some not so much. And soon, a questionable report escalated the tension.
Rumours, Reports, and the Real Story
As the image of De Bruyne in training wearing No. 10 spread, Italian outlet Repubblica stoked the fire. They reported:
“Napoli is considering offering the iconic number 10 to Kevin De Bruyne. This number was retired following Diego Maradona’s departure from the club.”
This speculative report ignited another wave of reaction online.
One fan warned:
“If he takes it, he’ll get himself in hot water for no reason.”
Another added:
“If it happens, I hope De Bruyne refuses it.”
But hours later, the truth emerged.
But then came clarity, from a quiet training ground exchange and a trusted journalist, turning rumor into resolution.
A Video, A Question, A Confirmation
A video surfaced showing Kevin De Bruyne pointing at his No. 10 training shirt and asking someone—likely a kitman,
“Is it okay for you?”
The reply?
“Oh, it’s no problem. It’s just for training.”
Respected journalist Matteo Moretto soon confirmed the truth:
Kevin De Bruyne will wear the No. 11 shirt for Napoli this season.
This settled the debate. It was all a misunderstanding. Training kits are often pre-assigned without much symbolism; even Romelu Lukaku wore the No. 10 in training last season but played the entire year wearing No. 11.
The irony is that Kevin De Bruyne, for all his brilliance, has never worn the No. 10 at any club in his career. Perhaps, by choice. Or perhaps, out of respect.
Legacy vs Legacy
In truth, it would have been poetic to see Kevin De Bruyne, arguably the finest attacking midfielder of his generation, finally don the No. 10 shirt, even if just once in his career. Despite operating in the traditional No. 10 role for much of his playing life, he has never actually worn the number at any of his previous clubs.
At Genk, he wore No. 14. During his loan spell at Werder Bremen, he sported No. 6. His brief stint at Chelsea saw him take the No. 15 before returning to No. 14 at Wolfsburg. And then, of course, he became synonymous with the No. 17 shirt during his iconic run at Manchester City.
Yet perhaps even a player as influential and era-defining as De Bruyne, one who bossed the Premier League with surgical precision, understands that some legacies aren’t meant to be borrowed. They are meant to be respected.
In the end, De Bruyne chose legacy over symbolism, and in doing so, honored both himself and the city he now calls home.
KDB didn’t take the No. 10—and maybe he never wanted to. Because even though his right foot can script masterpieces just like Maradona’s left did, there are some shirts that belong to ghosts.
In Naples, the No. 10 isn’t just history. It’s holy.
And De Bruyne, to his credit, knew not to touch the altar.
