The long-awaited retirement announcement from Eden Hazard is finally here. The Chelsea and Belgium national team legend wrote in an Instagram post:
“You must listen to yourself and say stop at the right time. After 16 years and more than 700 matches played, I have decided to end my career as a professional footballer. I was able to realise my dream, I have played and had fun on many pitches around the world.
Thank you Eden Hazard ?? pic.twitter.com/JpP74BFfF3
โ TheSecretScout (@TheSecretScout_) October 10, 2023
This was long expected fromย the 2015 PFA Player of the Year. The 32-year-old has been without a club team since the end of last season, and he has not been seriously linked with joining any team since June.
He retired from international football in December, after Belgium, who he captained, was eliminated from the World Cup.
In a preview of the docu-series (โBelieveโ), which covers the Belgian national team, Hazard dropped a major hint that he could be calling time on his playing career.
โLittle by little itโs time to enjoy life with my family and friends, drinking a few Jupiler beers,โ Hazard said, as a signal that his hanging up the cleats was imminent.
That doc came out more than a month ago.
And honestly, Eden Hazard has more than earned the right to knock a few cold ones! Raise a glass Eden Hazard.
Real Madrid, the last team that he played for, terminated his contract a season early, with the winger completely fine with it.
He even joked about how much of an awful flop he was at the club, as he rated himself “a zero” for his time there. He is indeed a very grounded and down-to-Earth footballer.
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager ofย The Sports Bank.ย Heโs also theย author of โTransatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,โ andย โNo, I Canโt Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.โ
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