Whether you’re working from home or you’re at home in self-quarantine, many of us have had to adjust our lives in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Pro athletes are no exception and they’re pretty much working out from home and hanging out.
Athletes have handled this downtime in different ways. For Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne, being in quarantine with his family has given him a glimpse of retirement and it has inspired him to extend his playing career.
In an Instagram Live video, De Bruyne is experiencing what many people face when they’re always around their family. While he surely loves them, he kind of needs to be away from them sometimes, and this prompted him to tell his wife he’s playing another couple seasons.
“I told my wife I’m going to play a little longer,” De Bruyne said.
“After this lockdown, I cannot stay at home. I told her I’m going to take two years more.”
“It’s time to play football again. I miss it and it’s difficult. But we are not important, football is not important. People love football, but you need to stay safe.”
De Bruyne is 28 so hopefully he’s got a while before fully stepping away from the playing side of the game. And when he does, I’m sure he can get into coaching or commentary or something within the game. So while this downtime isn’t exactly ideal, it’s probably not indicative to actual retirement for a pro athlete.
Nevertheless, it’s smart to plan out your future and because of this pandemic, De Bruyne has learned that future includes trying to play as long as humanly possible.
[Sky Sports/Photo: Premier League]
