Italian journalist Tancredi Palmeri has hit back at Belgium and Man City star Kevin De Bruyne after the midfielder called him “stupid” for a question he asked after the Red Devils’ Euro 2024 elimination.
Belgium were knocked out by France in the Round of 16 in Germany on Monday as Didier Deschamps’ team overcame Domenico Tedesco’s men with a 1-0 win to deservingly advance to the quarter-finals.
The Belgians were poor throughout their time at the Euros and offered nothing once again against the French. De Bruyne has been sensational on the pitch but off it has been a little touchy when it came to the press as he was not happy with how the media criticised his team’s performances.
That peaked after Belgium’s elimination to France as the Man City star called Italian journalist Tancredi Palmeri “stupid” after he asked a question about the “golden generation”.
When asked why they never reached a final or won a trophy over the last few years, De Bruyne replied by saying: “And you say that France and England and Spain and Germany is not a golden generation?”
The midfielder then thanked the reporter before leaving the stage, muttering “stupid” as he left.
De Bruyne is one of the only survivors of his country’s so-called “golden generation”, whose best result at a major tournament was reaching the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup.
?? Journalist: “Why did Belgium's golden generation never win anything?”
?? Kevin De Bruyne: “You say that France, England, Spain and Germany do not have a golden generation?… stupid.” ???pic.twitter.com/rWlV19NrsH
— Football Tweet ?? (@Football__Tweet) July 1, 2024
Journalist hits back at Belgium’s Kevin De Bruyne after “stupid” comment
Following the video of De Bruyne going viral, Palmeri has now hit back at the Man City star and has stated that he wished the 33-year-old called him “stupid” to his face,
“I wish he had said it to my face and let’s see how I could reply to that,” the journalist told talkSPORT.
“Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, obviously, no one is entitled to offend others.”
Palmeri’s question was a legitimate one as many will wonder why Belgium’s “golden generation” never did anything notable at a major tournament. De Bruyne’s response was rude as the Man City star seems to be one of several big players who cannot take a bit of criticism at present.