Written by Koen Van Uytvange, Pieter-Jan Calcoen and Yanko Beeckman for Nieuwsblad:
De Ketelaere's first season in Italy with Milan, having arrived in 2022 amid great fanfare after a terrific season with Club Brugge, was far from a success. A loan to Atalanta this past season brought improvement. Under Gian Piero Gasperini, he has regained his good form and is once again providing goals and assists. One of his great assets for the national team is the attacking midfielder’s versatility. In his youth, Charles De Ketelaere combined football with tennis. His idol was Roger Federer, while the team he most wanted to play for was Real Madrid. Ultimately, his choice fell on football. “Always getting private lessons from an adult coach or playing football with your friends: what do you think a boy of that age likes best?” he once told Nieuwsblad.