Hazard and the nostalgia for pure football

The decision to retire at the age of 32 reflects the person Eden Hazard is and the football he has brought.

Hazard's best years and best football came during his time at Chelsea. Photo: Reuters

After Chelsea lost 3-5 to Tottenham in the Premier League in 2015, coach Jose Mourinho said: "Game after game, Eden was mercilessly tortured by the opponents. One, two, three, four, five, then 10 fouls, all serious fouls. They kept kicking his legs while he tried to resist, with his extraordinary talent and physique. Eden played very instinctively but this is also another reason, which could make him retire early."

When saying those words, "The Special One" probably didn't expect everything to come true so quickly for Hazard.

At 32, many of his teammates are still at their peak. Some older stars can still "play happily" in some less competitive national championships, such as Cristiano Ronaldo in Saudi Arabia or Lionel Messi in MLS. But Hazard has decided to stop, announcing his retirement yesterday, October 10. "You have to listen to yourself and know when to stop," he wrote.

The end was in the making four years ago . The $109 million transfer from Chelsea to Real Madrid suddenly turned into a nightmare. The title "Galactico" (star) - as fans used to call Zinedine Zidane, Luis Figo, David Beckham in the 2000s - was used for Hazard.

But on 26 November 2019, a collision with Belgium teammate Thomas Meunier in a Champions League match against PSG devastated Hazard for the next four years. He had suffered more serious injuries. But Meunier’s tackle was fatal. It hit Hazard right in the right ankle, where the pain had been lingering for two years, and made things worse.

Hazard was injured after a tackle by Meunier (number 12) in the Champions League group stage match on November 26, 2019. Photo: Diario Sport

After three months of recovery, Hazard did not return. He suffered several other injuries. Ankle surgery did not solve the problem. Since this pain, the star born in 1991 has only played 90 minutes for Real once. In four years in Spain, he played 76 times, including 44 starts. In June 2023, Real announced that they would terminate Hazard's contract a year early.

It was a foretold farewell, because Hazard's relationship with coach Carlo Ancelotti was not good. They rarely spoke. Hazard was not in Ancelotti's plans, despite training well and reaching high form after the 2022 World Cup. He had to wait until April to play in La Liga and had three more matches, a total of 96 minutes. Ancelotti seemed unable to wait for Hazard, and also knew for sure that his problem was not his form, but simply because peak Hazard would never return.

But the special thing about Hazard is that he does not show any negative attitude. The Belgian midfielder still lives happily in Madrid. His son plays for Real's academy team. He never lets personal problems affect the team atmosphere on the training ground. In fact, the relationship between Hazard and the whole team is still considered excellent.

Hazard shares joy with Sergio Ramos after a La Liga match in 2020. Photo: EFE

It would be unfair if Hazard were remembered only as a failure, a wrong transfer, with a sad end to his career, or a mistake that no one wants to make. What he represents is the epitome of pure football: the raw joy of expressing love on the pitch, bringing excitement to those who pay monthly to watch football, or buy tickets to the stadium.

When Hazard retired, Lille declared: "Hazard is the greatest talent ever trained here". Chelsea lost Hazard and lost their appeal and have struggled for many years. 110 goals, 92 assists in 352 appearances for Chelsea confirmed Hazard's undeniable position in the history of the London team. Hazard was compared to Zola, who always made the fans in the stadium jump out of their seats with excitement. Roberto Di Matteo, when asked to compare the two, used the same short noun: "Artist".

Hazard - the embodiment of pure football

Hazard's 10 best goals in the Premier League. Video: Premier League

This is not a character who can be as harsh on himself as Messi or Ronaldo, even though he was the best under these two legends. Hazard, like his football, is too liberal. He snacks frequently, preferring burgers and cookies, refusing to be more disciplined in order to maintain his ideal physique. "A vacation is a vacation, I want to be comfortable," Hazard once retorted when asked about gaining weight after returning from a vacation.

Former Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel once commented on his former team-mate at Chelsea: "Why has he declined so badly? Because he is so good," Mikel said. "Imagine. This guy will come to our game on Saturday and win the game, win the player of the match award. But on Monday, Tuesday, he will train like an invisible man: standing still, walking, while everyone is shouting and fighting. Hazard's talent is simply beyond the norm."

Hazard himself has never aspired to the heights that Messi or Ronaldo have achieved. After one of the most memorable goals of his career against Arsenal in 2017, Hazard did not go out to celebrate or indulge in the replay on TV. He went home to his wife Natasha and their children. That was always Hazard’s priority, and how he lived in Madrid ever since.

Coach Mourinho shared on his personal page, after hearing the news of Hazard's retirement. Screenshot

Hazard has always been approachable to journalists, often teasing, winking or making cheeky jokes at them. He is a source of positive energy. During Chelsea's worst period of the 2015-2016 season, after Mourinho was sacked in December 2015, Hazard texted the Portuguese coach to apologise for his poor form. But then he scored against Tottenham, ending the city rivals' title ambitions - a goal that Chelsea fans voted "the best of the year".

Some will ask, "Why did you leave the pitch so early, Eden?". The MLS with its free life in the US was once considered by the Belgian player, when Real gradually became out of reach. But the length of his career shows that Hazard has always been happy with his choices.

When top-flight football no longer brings joy for the past four years, he will choose another way to enjoy that joy.

Hieu Do

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