Red Devil who almost stopped everything thrives at Brighton

Maxim De Cuyper, the young Belgian full‑back who almost gave up football at the age of eighteen, is now playing at Brighton in the Premier League. In five matchdays, he has scored one goal and provided two assists, while also being selected by the Red Devils.

A journey riddled with obstacles in Bruges

The native of Knokke‑Heist joined Club Brugge at eight years old, coming from Heist, and was then playing only for fun. The long car trips with his father to Westkapelle were seen as a simple necessary evil to kick the ball with his friends.

When he reached the U18 level, the expectations changed: they expected an adult attitude from him. He says: "I really got a hard time," adding that during the first six months he didn’t play any match, lost the enjoyment and was "on the verge of quitting." Clashes with a coach who "shaped him harshly" made the period difficult.

The family turning point

His father, who opposed his departure from Brugge, convinced him to persevere, stating: "I didn’t sacrifice myself all these years and I didn’t drive you everywhere just to see you quit now. Hang on!" This support allowed De Cuyper to rediscover the love of the game.

At Brighton, he established himself as a left‑winger, delivering an excellent start to the season with a goal and two assists in the first five matchdays of the Premier League.

In the full‑back position, he was recalled to the senior selection of the Red Devils by manager Mark Van Bommel. To date, he has twenty‑five caps for Belgium.

The full‑back has already surpassed two‑hundred and fifty professional matches, placing him among the key figures of the new generation of the Red Devils.

He remains grateful to his father and close ones who urged him to persevere, and he continues to bring his energy both to Brighton and to the national team.