Vincent Kompany has revealed he did not rate Kevin De Bruyne when he first saw the Manchester City superstar play.
Former City skipper Kompany made the admission in a new documentary, 'Made in Belgium', about newly-crowned PFA Player of the Year De Bruyne.
De Bruyne, who joined City for £54million in 2015, is widely considered the best midfielder in the world, after 16 goals and 23 assists in all competitions last season.
But his former City and Belgium team-mate Kompany said he was unimpressed by De Bruyne, 29, when the playmaker received his first international call-up as a teenager.
“He came into the national team when he was very, very young and at the time he really didn't leave a good impression with me,” said Kompany.
“I thought he just seemed to moan a lot, he tried a lot of things that weren't coming off at that time when he came and I said it's a shame, because we could have done with some more talent in the team.
“Anyway, as time went by and then things happened, all of a sudden, before you knew it, he's the best player we have. I knew it all the time!
Is De Bruyne the best midfielder in the world? Have your say here.
“He has an edge, and that's maybe where, in his first session with the national team, way back when he was 18, was maybe the thing that didn't come across so well.
“It was because he has an edge, and then he didn't perform on the pitch, and you're like 'well you have an edge and you don't perform, what's that all about?'
“But later on you realise that's his true strength, you know. He has an edge in everything he does and he's got a bit of a mean streak about him as well, where he doesn't mind getting physical.
“To get the best out of Kevin, you need to play in a certain way. You never get the best out of Kevin if you aren't an attacking-minded team, and I mean in attacking in every way – pressing, possession, tacking.
"So in terms of Kevin coming to City, and Kevin meeting Pep, really, their paths crossing was the perfect blend for him.
"I don't think he would have ever have got the most out of his career, unless he had worked with Pep."
*Fans can watch Made in Belgium on City’s content platform, CITY+, which provides unrivalled access to exclusive and behind the scenes club content. Available on mancity.com, Man City app and smart TV.
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