Kevin De Bruyne Picks Who Is The Better Manager Between Antonio Conte and Pep Guardiola

Kevin De Bruyne has given his opinion on who is the better manager between Pep Guardiola and Antonio Conte, highlighting the key difference between the two.

What Did De Bruyne Say About Antonio Conte and Pep Guardiola?

The Belgian international decided to bring his time in Manchester to an end after the 2024/25 season came to an end, leaving the club after 10 successful years.

During his time with the Cityzens, De Bruyne won six Premier Leagues, five League Cups, two FA Cups and the Champions League – leaving as one of the best players in the clubs’ history.

Contributing to 285 goals in 422 appearances (108G + 177A), the 34-year-old established himself as one of the greatest Premier League midfielders of all-time.

De Bruyne will play alongside a Belgian national teammate in Romelu Lukaku, while also coming up against a former Manchester United rival and now Ballon d’Or nominee – Scott McTominay.

Additionally, the Belgian midfielder will once again work under a truly elite manager in Antonio Conte, who decided to stay in Naples for another season despite rumors over a move elsewhere.

The former Chelsea midfielder worked alongside another managerial maestro during his time in Manchester, forming a superb relationship with Pep Guardiola.

After completing his move to Italy, De Bruyne has accumulated enough time on the training pitch to pass judgement on Conte and the Belgian recently compared the Italian’s methods to Guardiola’s approach.

De Bruyne said: “I’d say they’re two different ways of playing: Pep is probably a little more focused on ball control and possession, while Conte is a little more structured in his game and focuses a lot on mentality. Pep works more on the zonal area. There are a couple of different things, but every coach has his own principles and characteristics.

“I’m not the king, I’m just a footballer,” he said. “I don’t pay much attention to certain things, I try to do my job as best I can, but obviously it’s nice to be appreciated. I hope I can continue to have a great career.”

How Much Is De Bruyne Earning At Napoli?

Across his 10-years as a Manchester City player, De Bruyne not only saw great success on the pitch, but was also heavily rewarded as he became one of the highest-paid players in the Premier League.

During his peak years in England, the genius midfielder reportedly earned a staggering $520,000 per week and this became between 2020-2025 with the Belgian being one of the best players in the world.

His contract with the Cityzens came to an end in June 2025 and De Bruyne’s deal with Napoli brings a huge decrease in pay, with the Belgian reportedly earning around $8m per year.

This will decrease in his third year at the club, if he chooses to stay, as the Belgian approaches the latter stages of what has been a truly incredible career.

Despite a drop-off in pay, KDB’s move to Napoli could not have come at a better time as the Italian side picked up the Serie A title last season and are the favorites to do so again in 2025/26 on offshore sportsbooks.

Antonio Conte has added some more firepower to his side, bringing in Noa Lang, Sam Beukema, Vanja Milinkovic-Savic, Lorenzo Lucca and Luca Marianucci.

The Italian side also brought an end to the drama surrounding Victor Osimhen, as the Nigerian international finally parted ways with the club and completed a huge move to Galatasaray.