Kevin De Bruyne threw a stylish night out for his Manchester City team-mates and their loved ones as he prepares to bid farewell to his adopted home.
The departing legend had a restaurant booked in Manchester on Wednesday night to mark the occasion with his long-time colleagues.
Manager Pep Guardiola arrived in a sweat via bike while Jack Grealish was the last to leave at around 1.35am.
De Bruyne is sailing off into the sunset at the end of the season after 10 years with the club, an era which has brought him 16 trophies including six Premier League titles and a Champions League.
The Belgian said goodbye to the Etihad on Tuesday night after City’s 3-1 win over Bournemouth with an emotional ceremony which left Guardiola in tears.
And De Bruyne made the most of his Wednesday night out, staying with his wife Michele Lacroix until about 1.30am.
Kevin De Bruyne threw a farewell party for his Manchester City team-mates on Wednesday
Manager Pep Guardiola looked slightly sweaty as he rolled up to the restaurant with his bike
Jack Grealish was the last to leave at 1.35am, forcing his way past a drunk staff member
The whole crew turned out, including Guardiola, who arrived with his earbuds in as he steered his bike towards its parking spot.
His team-mates were invited to bring their wives and girlfriends along and many took up the offer, enjoying each other’s company while their rivals Manchester United lost the Europa league final 1-0 to Tottenham.
Phil Foden turned up in a dark outfit with a designer jacket and chain alongside his long-term girlfriend Rebecca Cooke, with whom he shared three children.
The duo met as teens at a party in Stockport and have been together ever since.
Bernardo Silva and his wife Ines made merry with Kevin De Bruyne masks as they left the venue in central Manchester.
Grealish was the last to leave at 1.35am, decked out in ripped jeans as he was reportedly forced to squeeze his way past a drunk member of staff on his way out.
Erling Haaland was slightly more sensible than some, making his way out just before 1am and leaving via taxi with his girlfriend Isabel Haugseng Johansen, with whom he had a child in December.
This looked a slightly more light-hearted occasion than his official farewell presentation on the Etihad on Tuesday.
Bernardo Silva and his wife Ines enjoyed messing about with some De Bruyne masks
Erling Haaland scooted away just before 1am with his girlfriend Isabel Haugseng Johansen
De Bruyne, who played 421 times for the club, missed a sitter in his final game at the ground he has called home for so long, blazing an effort on to the crossbar from just yards out. But he did not let that spoil his goodbye after the match.
As the lights went out inside the ground, De Bruyne, alongside his wife Michele and their three children – Mason, Rome and Suri – took to the pitch for the final time as the fans sang his name.
City players and officials gave him a guard of honour as he made his way to the centre circle, surrounded by fireworks and smaller lights. He stopped the clap the fans in attendance as Guardiola watched on.
It was then he was interviewed and asked how the reception made him feel, to which he replied: ‘Very emotional.’
Guardiola was then seen in tears, as De Bruyne took a moment to collect his thoughts.
A handful of former team-mates then appeared on the big screens in the ground to send messages of goodwill, including the likes of Sergio Aguero and Riyad Mahrez.
‘Hi Kevin,’ Aguero began. ‘Congratulations for your career, it was an honour to play with you, I wish you all the best my friend, of course you are a legend at Manchester City. And me too. See you bro.’
Messages from De Bruyne’s family also appeared on the screen, with the five members of the family watching on, struggling to hold it together.
Joined by his family, including wife Michele, he took to the pitch after City beat Bournemouth
City boss Pep Guardiola was reduced to tears as he watched Belgian’s farewell presentation
The likes of Fernandinho and Vincent Kompany received loud cheers as they appeared on the big screens, with Joe Hart, Raheem Sterling and Leroy Sane also among those to pay tribute.
Guardiola, meanwhile, continued to cry as fans again began to chant the midfielder’s name.
‘Manchester is home,’ De Bruyne said as he took to the microphone again. ‘It is where these kids were born.
‘I came here with my wife to stay for a long time. Didn’t expect to stay here for 10 years and do what we have done as a club. We have won everything, made the city and the club bigger and now they are going to take over.
‘I want to play with creativity, passion, and enjoy football. I hope everyone enjoyed it. Everybody has pushed me so hard – inside and outside the club – to be the best version of myself.
‘The guys on the screen and in front of me made me so much better than I was before. It has been such an honour to play with them and I have made so many friends for life. We will be back for sure soon.’
As De Bruyne tried to talk again, fans sang ‘we want you to stay’.
He continued: ‘You just want to do well and win, then you want to win more and push the City. We had five or six parades – to win is everything. There are too many moments to count. It has been an absolute pleasure.
City confirmed that they will be building a statue in the midfielder’s honour outside the ground
A handful of his former team-mates, including Sergio Aguero, sent in messages of goodwill
Former captain Vincent Kompany got a huge cheer from the fans when he appeared on screen
Fans sang ‘we want you to stay’ as De Bruyne took to the microphone to say his goodbyes
He admitted that winning became his drive and that he wanted to help push the city forward
The departing Manchester City star added: ‘The fans have been so welcoming from the beginning, and to have almost a full stadium supporting me and my family means everything’
‘The fans have been so welcoming from the beginning, and to have almost a full stadium supporting me and my family means everything. It is indescribable and thank you very much.’
The club also confirmed they will build a statue of De Bruyne outside the stadium. Upon that news being revealed – to a large cheer – De Bruyne said: ‘It means I will always be part of this club and I will always represent a small piece. Whenever I come back, I will be able to see myself.’
Former City star Colin Bell’s wife, Marie, and son, John, then presented De Bruyne with a shirt with De Bruyne’s name and number on – as well as a season card for life alongside other City legends. A mosaic was also presented.
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He was given one last chance to speak to the fans on the microphone, and said: ‘I think the best way to describe my life with my wife and three kids is we fit in perfectly. We understand where the club has gone to and what it means to a lot of people.
‘Together we have built a big future for you guys to perform. I know it has been a bit of a tough year for us but this team will be back next year fighting for the titles. They deserve this.’
Finally, playing on a viral video of De Bruyne asking team-mates to let him talk on the pitch, he said: ‘After 10 years it was about time that somebody let me talk a bit. It is time to say goodbye, I will be back but we love you and see you soon.’
The ceremony ended with De Bruyne and his family embarking on a lap of honour around the pitch, and being thrown into the air by his team-mates before leaving the field to another guard of honour.
