For months he was clubless, now he stops completely: Eden Hazard (32), one of the best Belgian footballers ever, is hanging up his boots
“You have to listen to yourself and stop at the right time,” Eden Hazard began his message shared on Instagram on Tuesday, the content of which was the announcement of the end of his career. The 126-time Belgium international, who had already retired for his country in 2022, has recognised that right time for himself at the age of 32.
Since the end of his contract in Madrid last summer, which the club and the player had agreed on ahead of time, the fine technician had been without a club. There had been no concrete indication of a next engagement.
He never really caught on at Real
For just over 100 million euros, the right-footer had moved from Chelsea FC to Real in 2019, where he was supposed to fill the gap left by Cristiano Ronaldo a year earlier, as the number seven on his shirt suggested. But the former world-class player never really caught on at the Spanish record champions, losing fitness, losing form, also struggling with injuries and making just 76 competitive appearances in four years, scoring a meagre seven goals.
A two-time Spanish champion, Spanish Cup winner and Champions League winner without much to show for it, the attacker, whose career began at OSC Lille, left his most lasting footprint at Chelsea FC. A dynamic, uncannily ball-playing dribbler, he made the Premier League unsafe between 2012 and 2019, and in 2015 he was unanimously voted Footballer of the Year by players, journalists and the league. Two league titles, a cup win and two Europa League triumphs with the Blues bear his name far more.
The final years of an impressive career have undoubtedly been a disappointment, but Hazard, who finished as the tournament’s second best player with Belgium in the 2018 World Cup, looks back proudly on 16 years and over 700 games. “I was able to realise my dream,” writes one of the best footballers Belgium has ever produced. “And I had fun. “
