The champion coach to stay and improve Chelsea next season
"I didn't do it before because I was young and I didn't have the profile I have now," De Bruyne, who turns 28 next Thursday on the same day Belgium play England in their final Group G fixture, told RTBF television.
For however much or little it counts, Belgium have history on their side in not having lost to the Irish for 50 years, which includes beating them by a single goal in the playoffs to win a place at the 1998 World Cup in France.
A preview of the line-up action in the English Premier League from October 20-22.
Former Real youth player Joselu pulled a goal back for Alaves in the 59th minute, powering in a header from a free kick, but Benzema rounded off the victory for second-placed Real with an exquisite solo run and goal in the 70th minute.
Chelsea and Manchester City tightened their stranglehold on the Premier League title race on Saturday, recording victories over struggling clubs to stretch further clear of their increasingly forlorn pursuers.
Liverpool continued their perfect start to the season to stay top of the Premier League after a goal in each half gave them a 2-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley on Saturday.
Buoyant Chelsea extended their Premier League lead and calmed nerves at Stamford Bridge with a 4-2 win over Southampton on Tuesday that moved them seven points clear of their nearest pursuers Tottenham Hotspur.
With no fans allowed into venues and Real playing their home games at the 6,000-capacity Alfredo Di Stefano stadium while the Santiago Bernabeu is being refurbished, it will be a title race unlike any other.
Chelsea won the English Premier League earlier this month with three games to spare. And the players tried to make maximum out of the situation.
Arsenal fought back from a goal down against old foes Chelsea to reach the League Cup final as Granit Xhaka poked home to complete a 2-1 second-leg win on Wednesday that set up a Wembley showdown with Manchester City.
Chelsea wrapped up their pre-season tour of the United States on a high note by beating Barcelona in a shootout after their International Champions Cup match ended 2-2 on Tuesday.
The stadiums at Qatar offer plenty of wisdom and chutzpah on how to take our own lives forward.
Arsenal named a strong side captained by Mesut Ozil while Real had Bale on the bench and Eden Hazard, wearing the number 50 shirt, starting alongside fellow new signing Luka Jovic in attack.
Belgium sacked national coach Marc Wilmots on Friday after their highly fancied team of talents failed to advance beyond the quarter-finals at Euro 2016 this month, Belgian FA president Francois De Keersmaecker said.
Chelsea's new signing Gonzalo Higuain netted his first two Premier League goals in Chelsea's 5-0 thrashing of Huddersfield Town while Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung-min struck late for a 1-0 win over Newcastle United as they moved into second place.
A payoff of at least one million euros ($1.11 million) for Belgium soccer manager Marc Wilmots could be a problem and the national federation does not have the means to hire a big name to replace him, the federation's head said.
Glimpses from Sunday's Nations League matches.
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has been a named a respondent in the legal action being brought against the club by their former team doctor Eva Carneiro for constructive dismissal, sources close to the case said on Monday.
The self-styled "Special One" faces what he agreed is a special fixture this weekend but Jose Mourinho refused to accept that beating Manchester United to establish a 10-point lead with six games left would mean Chelsea had won the Premier League.
Chelsea are banking on a lavish shopping spree to give them more bite up front and much-needed solidity in defence after coach Frank Lampard spent last season relying heavily on a crop of inexperienced home-grown players.
Barcelona travel to newly-promoted Osasuna without their first choice front line.
The club anthem Blue is the Colour resounded around a joyful Stamford Bridge and champagne flowed as Chelsea clinched their first Premier League title for five years with a typically stubborn 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace on Sunday.
Manchester City are top on goal difference, with Chelsea second and Liverpool dropping to third, two points ahead of Arsenal, who routed Fulham 5-1.
Real Madrid's Welsh winger Gareth Bale has joined Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in the race for FIFA's Ballon d'Or award.
Real and Barca have won the title in 15 of the last 16 seasons, with Atletico breaking the duopoly in 2014.
Chelsea and former manager Jose Mourinho have reached an undisclosed settlement with former team doctor Eva Carneiro at an employment tribunal in London, the Premier League club said on Tuesday.
Late goals from Eden Hazard and Nemanja Matric sealed a 4-2 victory for Chelsea over London rivals Tottenham Hotspur in a rip-roaring FA Cup semi-final at Wembley on Saturday.
Tottenham Hotspur lost their cool and their Premier League title hopes as they let slip a two-goal lead at Chelsea to draw a stormy London derby 2-2 on Monday.
Raheem Sterling's stunning individual goal earned Liverpool a 1-1 draw with Chelsea in a rip-roaring League Cup semi-final first leg at Anfield on Tuesday but the dominant Merseysiders could be left to rue a missed opportunity.
Eden Hazard is disputing Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho's assertion that the attacking midfielder is due a rest, the 23-year-old insisting that he plays consistently better when fed a steady diet of action.
Madrid were not at their best but moved three points clear of rivals Barcelona.
Hazard extra-time goal sends 10-man Real Madrid through to Copa del Rey final.
Zinedine Zidane's Real side demonstrated their new-found grit to re-take the lead
Should the Portugal forward triumph, he will equal the record of his great rival and five-time winner Lionel Messi of Barcelona, who is also nominated.
Chelsea playmaker Eden Hazard says it "would be a dream" to play under French great and current Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane in the future.
Real Madrid swatted aside Granada 4-1 on Thursday to ensure the La Liga title race will go down to the wire.
Belgium have retained injured Vincent Kompany in their final World Cup squad but put fellow defender Laurent Ciman on standby in case the Manchester City skipper is not fit for their opening match in Russia.
Bayern Munich gained some revenge for their 2012 Champions League final defeat by Chelsea when they beat the Premier League club 5-4 on penalties after a thrilling UEFA Super Cup ended 2-2 at the end of extra-time on Friday.
Valencia forward Carlos Soler scored a hat-trick of penalties as his side beat La Liga champions Real Madrid 4-1 at home in an extraordinary match on Sunday.
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