Kevin De Bruyne has suffered a "high-grade lesion" to his right thigh, his club Napoli confirmed in a statement on Monday.
The Belgian star picked up the injury on Saturday while scoring a penalty in his team's 3-1 win over Inter Milan. Napoli did not specify how long he will be out, saying only that "the player has already begun rehabilitation."
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, De Bruyne could be sidelined for several months and may not return before 2026.
The midfielder opened the scoring in the 33rd minute against Inter but did not celebrate, immediately clutching the back of his right thigh before being substituted. It is the same area he injured in August 2023 while at Manchester City, a setback that kept him out for four months and required surgery.
De Bruyne will miss Belgium's upcoming 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Kazakhstan on 15 November and Liechtenstein three days later in Liège.
Since joining Napoli this summer, the 33-year-old has played 11 matches, eight in Serie A and three in the Champions League, scoring four goals in the league.
