How about a game of cricket to relax after a tough day? Nah, says Kevin De Bruyne from Manchester City, who was left pretty shocked recently when he found out how popular cricket is in Europe. De Bruyne and teammate James McAtee went on a quiz segment for Manchester City called ‘AI Showdown,’ where they had to name the five most popular sports in Europe. The list showed that football, cricket, basketball, tennis, and Formula 1 were the top sports, which totally surprised De Bruyne and got everyone laughing.
“Cricket is second on the list? That’s a joke,” he said, looking bewildered. “Honestly, I don’t know anyone in Europe who watches cricket,” he added with a grin. Even though cricket isn’t as big as football, it’s growing in Europe, especially thanks to the European Cricket Council (ECC).
Europe has the most members in the International Cricket Council—33 members in total. There’s different growth in countries besides England. Places like Scotland and the Netherlands are pushing for better standings in global cricket, while newer members like Hungary and Serbia are starting to build a fan base. It’s not as popular as footy, but it’s making headway, particularly in areas with many South Asian communities.
But when the presenter insisted that cricket really is popular, De Bruyne couldn’t believe it. “Who? Europeans? No,” he said playfully. He went on to say he watches every other sport except cricket. “Yeah, I watch everything else but cricket,” he said, getting everyone in the studio laughing.
De Bruyne also announced last Friday that he’s leaving Manchester City after this season, closing a successful 10 years with the team. The Belgian star has helped City win six Premier League titles, two FA Cups, five EFL Cups, and the UEFA Champions League last year. Since joining in 2015, he’s been a key player for the team. He once struggled at Chelsea but came back strong, showing what he’s capable of and earning his spot among the best in the Premier League.
