I Wanted To End My Football Career In Belgium – Hazard

Chelsea great Eden Hazard has revealed that he’s unhappy not to have ended his football career in Belgium.

The former Blues and Real Madrid attacker announced his retirement last week at the age of 32.

Hazard told Sporza: “I will of course miss professional football, because I have done it all my life.

“But I am also happy to watch football on television, and I also have some children.

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“I didn’t just want to keep playing for the money, and a return to Belgian football was never on the table.

“There were a lot of rumours about my future, but there was never anything concrete – not even from Union (Saint-Gilloise).

“It was great to see my name appear in connection with several clubs, and I have never played for a Belgian club, so it would have been a great end to my career.”

Hazard is regarded as one of the greatest Belgian players of all time. His pace, coupled with his finishing and ability to retain possession, led to his former coach Claude Puel dubbing him “little Messi”, in reference to Lionel Messi.

Puel’s sentiments were later echoed by former Marseille manager and media personality Rolland Courbis who commented, “At times it looks to me like Lionel Messi on the right-hand side.”

His vision, described as being the trait he has improved on the most, coupled with his passing, has also allowed him to develop into an effective playmaker and assist provider, which in turn, combined with his finishing ability, enabled him to both score and create goals.