Kevin de Bruyne’s final home game ends in tears, tributes, and a stunning goal by Marmoush as City beat Bournemouth 3–1
Kevin De Bruyne’s Etihad farewell was always going to be special, but no one quite expected it to be this emotional—or this dramatic. Manchester City eased past Bournemouth 3–1, but the result was secondary to a night of tributes, tears, and one jaw-dropping miss that humanised a modern footballing icon.
De Bruyne, making his 421st and final home appearance for City, led the team out to rapturous applause and a towering 60-foot tifo bearing his image. Accompanied by his children, the Belgian playmaker wore the captain’s armband and soaked in every ounce of adoration. The stadium had come not just for the football, but for a proper goodbye.
And yet, it was Omar Marmoush who stole the show. With a moment of brilliance befitting the man he was honouring, Marmoush unleashed a curling, swerving rocket from 30 yards that left the crowd stunned and City 1–0 up. It was the kind of goal De Bruyne himself has made a career of, and it felt like an act of tribute more than opportunism.
Then came the moment everyone had been waiting for: Marmoush squared a perfect pass across the six-yard box in the 25th minute, leaving De Bruyne with an open net and a dream ending. But the fairytale took a comic twist—De Bruyne hit the bar. A collective gasp swept the Etihad. The man who has delivered time and again fluffed his final chance in front of goal. “It was terrible,” De Bruyne admitted later. “No excuses. My son’s going to give me stick for that one.”
Still, the night pressed on with celebration rather than regret. Bernardo Silva doubled City’s lead after the blunder, and when Mateo Kovacic was sent off for pulling back Evanilson, it momentarily looked like Bournemouth might spoil the party. But any doubt vanished when Bournemouth’s Lewis Cook was also shown red for a reckless lunge on substitute Nico González, who then capped off his appearance with a dazzling solo goal to make it 3–0.
There was even more good news for City fans: Rodri returned to action for the first time in eight months following an ACL injury, coming off the bench to a loud ovation.
Bournemouth did pull one back late on through Daniel Jebbison, but the scoreline barely mattered. This was De Bruyne’s night, and the post-match scenes underlined it. As he stood in the centre circle, his wife and children at his side, his teammates formed a guard of honour. Pep Guardiola, usually a master of composure, shed a tear.
De Bruyne watched a tribute video featuring family, friends, and former teammates, before composing himself for a brief but heartfelt speech. “Manchester is home. I came here with Michele to build a life, and we did. Ten years. We won everything. We made the club bigger,” he said, voice trembling. “It’s time to say goodbye. I love you, and I’ll see you soon.”
The Belgian’s decade at City ends with six Premier League titles, a Champions League trophy, and a place among the club’s all-time greats. A statue will soon rise to mark his legacy, but no monument can match the memories he’s left behind.
His final act in sky blue will come at Fulham on Sunday, but for those inside the Etihad, Tuesday night was the real farewell. One missed goal, thousands of tears, and an outpouring of love that only legends earn.
