Eden Hazard ends his football journey at 32

Eden Hazard, one of the most dazzling and decorated players of his generation, has announced his retirement from professional football at the age of 32. The former Chelsea and Real Madrid star confirmed his decision on Instagram on Tuesday, saying that he had to listen to himself and say stop at the right time.

Hazard began his career at Lille in France, where he won the Ligue 1 title and the Coupe de France in 2011. He then moved to Chelsea in 2012, where he became a fan favourite and a key member of the team that won two Premier League titles, two Europa League titles, one FA Cup, and one League Cup. He also won numerous individual awards, including the PFA Players’ Player of the Year and the FWA Footballer of the Year in 2015.

In 2019, Hazard fulfilled his dream of joining Real Madrid, where he hoped to emulate his idol, Zinedine Zidane. However, his spell at the Bernabeu was marred by injuries and poor form, and he only managed to make 76 appearances and score five goals in four seasons. He also failed to win any major trophies with the Spanish giants, who terminated his contract a year early in June.

Hazard also represented Belgium at the international level, earning 126 caps and scoring 32 goals. He led his country to their best ever finish at a World Cup, third place in 2018. He retired from international football in December 2020 after a disappointing performance at the European Championship.

Hazard thanked his managers, coaches, teammates, clubs, and fans for their support throughout his career and said that he was able to realise his dream of playing and having fun on many pitches around the world. He also said that he was looking forward to enjoying his loved ones and having new experiences off the field.