Kevin De Bruyne’s Cricket Comments Ignite Debate on Sport’s Global Reach
Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne sparked controversy this week after dismissing cricket’s popularity in Europe during a lighthearted quiz segment on the club’s AI Showdown. When told cricket ranks as the world’s second-most-watched sport—trailing only football—the Belgian star reacted with disbelief: “How can cricket be second? That’s a lie. I don’t know anybody in Europe who watches cricket.” His remarks, met with laughter in the studio, drew sharp backlash online, particularly from cricket’s stronghold markets like India and the UK.
The Data Behind the Dispute While De Bruyne’s skepticism reflects cricket’s niche status in much of Europe, the sport’s global viewership tells a different story. The 2023 Cricket World Cup, hosted in India, shattered records with 422 billion viewing minutes in India alone—a 54% jump from 2011. The final between India and Australia peaked at 130 million concurrent viewers globally, while March’s Champions Trophy 2025 final drew 230 million viewers, with India-Pakistan clashes consistently breaking records. Europe, however, remains a mixed bag: the UK and Netherlands have established followings, but elsewhere, cricket struggles to compete with football, basketball, and tennis.
Regional Divide and Rising Influence Cricket’s stronghold is undeniably South Asia, where India’s 1.1 billion fans and lucrative IPL broadcast deals fuel its dominance. Streaming platforms like JioHotstar reported 5.4 billion views during the 2025 Champions Trophy, with Hindi-speaking regions driving 38% of traffic. By contrast, Europe’s 33 ICC members—including newcomers like Hungary and Serbia—highlight grassroots growth, though viewership pales next to football.
Fan Reactions and Broader Implications Social media erupted after De Bruyne’s comments, with critics accusing him of ignorance and defenders noting cricket’s Eurocentric blind spots. “A sportsperson should never degrade another sport,” tweeted one fan. Yet analysts concede his point: outside immigrant communities and former colonies, cricket lacks cultural penetration. The ICC has prioritized expanding into non-traditional markets, but as De Bruyne’s viral moment shows, perception lags behind data.
Conclusion The debate underscores a broader tension in sports globalization: while cricket’s financial and viewership clout is concentrated in a few regions, its aspirations as a “world sport” face hurdles. For now, De Bruyne’s blunt assessment—however divisive—reflects the stark reality of cricket’s uneven footprint.
(Sources:)