Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne has done the unthinkable by making a sensational statement downplaying cricket's popularity even though the sport is ranked as the world's second most followed sport. The Belgian footballer was seen chuckling at the possibility of cricket being popular in Europe. "Nobody in Europe watches it," De Bruyne exclaimed in an interview, adding, "I know that it's big somewhere else, but here? It's not even on the radar." His statement has incited a passionate controversy, particularly from cricket lovers who refer to the game's vast international fanbase.

Cricket, commonly considered the world's second most popular sport right after football, has over 2.5 billion fans worldwide, primarily concentrated in South Asia, specifically in India. The Indian Premier League (IPL) alone drew over 700 million viewers in 2024 and is one of the most watched sports leagues. The International Cricket Council (ICC) has been striving to increase the reach of the game, and its introduction at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics is a telling step forward. However, De Bruyne's comments underscore the harsh truth: across most of Europe, cricket is a niche sport, with football dominating the scene.

Kevin De Bruyne On Cricket pic.twitter.com/L8Mt1jwtdR

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In England, cricket's homeland, the sport has a devoted following, but even there, it is overshadowed by football. Elsewhere in the world, national teams exist in the Netherlands and Ireland, but little interest is shown at home. In De Bruyne's own country of Belgium, cricket is all but nonexistent at any level. This lack of exposure likely plays a role in his perspective, simply mimicking the broader European apathy towards the sport in part because of its success elsewhere.

Reactions and the Road Ahead

De Bruyne's comments ignited the social media storm expected globally. Cricket fans, especially Indian fans, came to the defense of their sport, with one X user stating, “De Bruyne should stick to football—cricket doesn’t need Europe to be massive.” Meanwhile, some European football fans agreed with him, calling cricket “boring.” The ICC views Europe, though, as an expansion market and is pushing T20 cricket in order to grow the fan base. While cricket’s global popularity is undeniable, De Bruyne’s skepticism underscores the challenge of winning over regions where football dominates. Can cricket bridge this cultural gap? Only time will tell.