Published 23:08 IST, August 10th 2023
What happened to Eden Hazard? A look at former Chelsea and Real Madrid star's downfall
Once dubbed as world's one of the most brightest talents, former Chelsea and Real Madrid star Eden Hazard failed to live up to the expectations in Spain.
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Eden Hazard's superior success at Chelsea was one of the highlights of the modern Premier League. The Belgian arrived from LOSC Lille in 2012 and proved to be an instant success in the English top flight. He was Chelsea's focal point of attack in the seven years he spent in West London and led the Blues to two Premier League and two Europa League titles. But his move to Real Madrid could have marked the start of a new beginning.
3 things you need to know
- Eden Hazard signed for Real Madrid in 2019
- Despite his inability to feature regularly, he does have a Champions League medal in his tally
- He also has two Premier League titles for Chelsea
What went wrong for Eden Hazard at Real Madrid
Back in 2019, Madrid came calling for the 32 year old and the Premier League outfit obliged them by letting the player leave West London. Hazard was seen as the perfect heir to Cristiano Ronaldo who led a prolific career at the Santiago Bernabeu. But his Madrid dream soon turned out to be a nightmare as the player who was once one of the fierce goal poachers, failed to get past the final hurdle.
Persistent injury issues had become a regular problem as Hazard missed out to close to a staggering 80 matches in his four year spell. Los Blancos coughed up a huge sum to bring in the player but soon they realised it was a mistake. He was able to complete 90 minutes on five occasions in the first season itself and for the rest of his Madrid career, he had a full fledged appearance only on one occasion which speak volume about his failure in the Spanish capital.
Also Read: Only one club has shown interest in signing Eden Hazard, it's not from MLS or Saudi Arabia
Hazard failed to impress both Real Madrid managers
Both Zinedine Zidane and Carlo Ancelotti failed to get out the best of the player who once shone brightly in the most complicated football league in the world. Surprisingly, Hazard's downfall didn't coincide with Madrid's success as the likes of Karim Benzema, Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo have complimented the European giant.
He reportedly has some offers from various clubs and he needs to take some drastic steps in a bid to resurrect his career.
Updated 23:08 IST, August 10th 2023