Eden Hazard has announced his retirement from professional football at the age of 32. The Belgium international scored 110 goals in 352 appearances during seven successful years at Chelsea, before moving to Madrid in 2019, becoming the most expensive signing in the club’s history in the process. Chelsea Football Club also took to social media to pay tribute to the Belgian, labelling him one of the club’s “greatest ever players.”
The Athletic’s Chelsea correspondent Liam Twomey and The Athletic’s journalist Michael Cox discuss with host Ayo Akinwolere Hazard’s wonderful football career and how good of a player he actually was.
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29 Comments
First view, first comment
He was a bum
Prime hazard was unstoppable
Hazard was great, but not as great as he could've been. As great as he was, he had the potential to be the heir to the Messi/Ronaldo throne, but didn't take it because he didn't want it enough
An unstoppable talent hindered by no mental discipline
Great player for 3 years then got fat body could not take weight gain over 2 months then got injured never the same again.
One of the greatest winger? Chelsea one of the greatest midfielder? Chelsea one of the greatest Center back? Chelsea one of the greatest left back? Chelsea. just need to get a consistent striker and a non injured James to have the last 2
Absolute legend. Pure magic.
Fell in love with him when I heard him saying in an interview that he is never going to sacrifice everything else in life for football. Football is an important part of life but it is not his entire life. There are other important things in life as well. Life must be lived as a whole not lived with a myopic goal of being the best player in the world.
Pure enjoyment. Pure fun.
Thank you legend.
Not even 5 top attacker in the 2010s in the PL, basically Adama Traore with slightly better finishing and passing.
Alexis, Salah, Suarez. Aguero and Kane all clear of him
Too fat innit, too much weight for his muscles to bear
The idea and notion that Hazard wasn’t consistent has to be biggest myth ever
He was very good on his day, but never really did much in the Champions League, and he was not the most consistent. His standout seasons you could put up with anyone, but he would go missing some games or almost all of 2015/16. In terms of Premier League legacy I suppose he’s up there with the likes of someone like Pires, but someone like Mane, Giggs, or Ronaldo, there is a level of consistency and driven greatness that he perhaps lacked, although I suppose that is part of his charm. Fun to watch and dripping with talent, shame he never trained.
We shouldn’t compare everyone’s longevity to Messi and Ronaldo, we should appreciate these mercurial players who only have a real prime of 3 or 4 seasons
The defining player of Abramovich-Chelsea, more so than Drogba imo.
Definite has potential to be the best but we should appreciate the accomplishments that he had within his career. He was bar to none with providing glorious entertaining goals that only he could pull off.
Salah is a far superior player by any measures
Very good
Coming from a United fan, comfortably the best player in a Chelsea shirt, maybe even someone who defined wing-play! What a joy he was to watch. Made the league better!
Reminder he's one of the only few players that realistically came close to a peak Messi/Ronaldo in that era. In terms of certain advanced metrics even outdid them. That isn't an easy feat, specially considering how much more lax Eden was about football and life in general. That's what made him different and likeable for me. A different breed, more romance for the game than just pure numbers. I have no doubt he'd have even won a Ballon d'Or in slightly different circumstances. Remember Frank Lampard came 2nd only to Ronaldinho, yet quite a few Chelsea fans consider Hazard to be the best ever to grace the Bridge in terms of pure talent/ability. That's the levels he was at during his prime.
Premier League legend, and certainly a Chelsea FC legend. Wish him a happy retirement; deserves everything good.
I will have him in my all time Premier League XI and Chelsea XI for sure.. what a joy to watch. Same league as Bergkamp, Zola and Ginola from the bygone era.
Top player. Made you get off your seat, could make anything happen at any instant in the game. Pure Magic, football will miss him.
The video title suggests that there's an argument to be had about how good he "actually" was. The clickbait quality of the video title doesn't do the player justice. For anyone who followed football from 2011-2019, there's no question. Whoever titled the video knows this as well.
Perfect video, great to see people rightfully judge and appreciate Eden as a player and as a human being.
Doubt Sanchez will get the same reception who did as much as Hazard did in a far worse Arsenal side.
Hazard was born to do it
Bale > hazard
The stars that burn the brightest also burn the shortwst
I agree that Hazard was the best player in the Prem in 2014-15 and 2016-17 but Van Dijk was the best player in 2018-19 c'mon Michael Cox.
Where did these guys learn that Ronaldo was a LWer at United? That's poor journalism. Cos I still remember Ronaldo at United played predominantly on the RW