Eden Hazard

Hazard began his football career playing for hometown club Royal Stade Brainois at the age of four. During his time at the club, one of his youth coaches described him as a "gifted" player. He added: "He knew everything. I had nothing to teach him".[25] Hazard spent eight years at the club before moving to Tubize. While at Tubize, he was spotted by a Lille scout while playing in a local tournament with the club. The scout's subsequent report on the player prompted club officials to meet with Hazard's father and offer the young player an aspirant (youth) contract.[26]

Hazard's parents accepted the offer from Lille with hopes that the training facilities in France would be better.[23] Hazard's father later admitted that the decision to let Eden and, later Thorgan, join clubs in the North of France was the best solution stating "They remained so close to home and, at the same time, they integrated at structures where they could grow, because in Belgium, unfortunately, it's a little empty for the training of youth".[14]

Hazard joined Lille in 2005 and spent two years developing in the club's local sports school, due to its youth academy in Luchin not being in operation at that time.[27] On 28 May 2007, he signed his first professional contract agreeing to a three-year deal with Lille.[26] At the start of the 2007–08 season, at the age of 16, Hazard was promoted to the club's reserve team in the Championnat de France amateur, the fourth level of French football, though he still played with Lille's under-18 team in its league and the Coupe Gambardella. Hazard made his amateur debut on 1 September 2007 in a league match against Racing Club de France appearing as a second-half substitute in a 3–1 defeat.[28] He made his first start a week later in the team's 1–0 defeat to Lesquin.[29]

After spending the majority of October and the early part of November playing with the club's under-18 team, on 14 November, due to several players being on international duty, Hazard was called up to the senior team by manager Claude Puel to participate in a friendly match against Belgian club Bruges on 16 November.[30] He appeared as a substitute in the match and, as a result of his performance, was included in the 18-man squad to face Nancy in a league match on 24 November,[31] where he subsequently made his professional debut in the match, coming on as a substitute in the 78th minute.[32]

Hazard returned to the club's reserve team and spent December playing with the squad. Following the winter break, Hazard returned to the first team in January and made substitute appearances in three league matches against Metz, Sochaux, and Paris Saint-Germain.[33][34][35] Following the match against PSG, he was demoted back to amateur level where he played concurrently with the reserve team in the fourth division and the under-18 team in the Coupe Gambardella. On 17 May 2008, he scored his first amateur goal in a 3–2 victory over Vitré.[36] Hazard finished his amateur career with 11 appearances and one goal, helping the reserve team finished in fifth place, which was first among professional clubs' reserve teams playing in the group.[37][38]

For the 2008–09 season, Hazard was given the number 26 shirt after playing with the number 33 shirt in his debut season. He was also promoted to the senior team permanently by new manager Rudi Garcia. Early on, he made substitute appearances regularly, including against Auxerre on 20 September, when he scored a goal to make it 2–2 in the 88th minute in a game Lille won 3–2 in injury time following a goal from Tulio de Melo.[39] Hazard's first career goal resulted in him becoming the youngest goalscorer in the club's history.[9] Four days after scoring his first goal, Hazard made his first senior start in a 4–2 defeat on penalties to Montpellier in the Coupe de la Ligue.[40] After featuring as a substitute in the team's next five league matches, on 15 November, Hazard started his first league game against Saint-Étienne, and capped the appearance by scoring the opening goal in the club's 3–0 victory.[41] His assured performances with the club resulted in Lille offering him a three-year contract extension, which he agreed to on 18 November 2008, tying him to the club until 2012.[42]

After featuring as a substitute in December, Hazard returned to the starting lineup in January. In February, he scored the match-winning goal in a league match against Sochaux.[43] In the Round of 16 of the Coupe de France, Hazard netted a goal in a 3–2 win over the competition's defending champions Lyon.[44] In the final ten league matches of the campaign, Hazard started eight and contributed to the team finishing in fifth place, which resulted in Lille qualifying for the newly created UEFA Europa League. After the season, he was named the National Union of Professional Footballers (UNFP) Young Player of the Year, becoming the first international player to achieve the honour.[10]

Following the 2008–09 season, constant media speculation occurred in numerous countries regarding Hazard's availability on the transfer market. Despite Lille chairman Michel Seydoux declaring the player off limits and Hazard stating that he wanted to remain at the club for at least another season, several clubs declared interest in the player.[46][47] These included English clubs Arsenal and Manchester United, Italian club Inter Milan, and Spanish clubs Barcelona and Real Madrid. Frenchman Zinedine Zidane personally recommended the player to the latter club.[48][49]

Hazard began the 2009–10 season on a positive note scoring in Lille's first competitive match of the season. The goal, contributing to the team's 2–0 victory, came against Serbian club FK Sevojno in the first leg of the club's third qualifying round match in the UEFA Europa League.[50] On 27 August, he scored his second career European goal in the club's second leg tie in the playoff round against Belgian club Genk. It was Lille's final goal in the club's 4–2 victory.[51] The 6–3 aggregate scoreline assured the club progression to the Europa League group stage.

On 22 October, Hazard scored a goal in Lille's important 3–0 victory over Italian club Genoa in the 84th minute after entering as a substitute 10 minutes prior. Upon receiving the ball on the left wing, Hazard proceeded to dash through the midfield dribbling past six Genoa defenders before finishing at the 18-yard box.[52] A month later, Hazard was instrumental in Lille's 5–1 thrashing of Czech club Slavia Prague as he was partly responsible for the opening goal– slicing through the defense and delivering a cross near post, which went off Slavia player Marek Suchý resulting in an own goal.[53]

On 20 December, Hazard scored his first league goal of the season in the club's 3–0 win over Le Mans, as well as assisting the other two.[54] On 30 January, Hazard scored the only goal in Lille's win over Derby du Nord rivals Lens.[55] Five days later, Hazard and Lille reached an agreement on a contract extension, which will keep the player at the club until 2014.[56] On 11 March, Hazard scored the only goal in Lille's victory over English club Liverpool in the first leg of the club's UEFA Europa League tie converting a free kick in the 83rd minute.[57] Three weeks later, Hazard provided two assists in the club's 4–1 win over title rivals Montpellier.[58] For his impressive displays in the month of March, Hazard was given the UNFP Player of the Month award.[59]

On 29 April, Hazard was nominated for the UNFP Ligue 1 Player of the Year award. He was also nominated, for the second consecutive season, for the Young Player of the Year award.[60] On 9 May, Hazard was awarded the UNFP Young Player of the Year trophy for the second consecutive season. He became the first player since its inception in 1994 to win the award twice.[10] Hazard lost out on the Player of the Year award, which was awarded to Lyon striker Lisandro López.

Hazard began the 2010–11 campaign as a starter featuring in Lille's first six league matches of the season, as well as matches in the Europa League. On 29 August, he scored his first goal of the season in a 1–1 draw with Nice.[61] In late September, Hazard began to struggle with inconsistency and was benched by Garcia in an effort to "allow him to breathe and learn that his performances were insufficient".[62] Hazard later admitted that his first bout of inconsistency affected him stating "The first two months were a bit tough. I wouldn't say that I began doubting my abilities, but I definitely went through a really patchy spell".[63]

On 7 October, Belgium national team manager Georges Leekens, citing Hazard's recent spell on the bench at Lille, said that the player needed to work harder, both physically and mentally, to regain his past year's form. The team's assistant coach, Marc Wilmots, also stated that Hazard often displayed a lazy mentality while training with the national team.[64] Garcia responded to Leekens comments the following day stating that he thought they were "excessive" and that "Eden is only 19 years old" and can still "make more progress in all areas."[65] Following Belgium's match against Kazakhstan, in which Hazard failed to start or even appear on the substitute's bench, Leekens responded to Garcia's comments declaring that he would stand by his previous comments and that players must think about the team and not themselves.[66] Hazard, himself, later reflected on Leekens and Garcia comments in February 2011 stating "I learned a lot during those few weeks, mentally speaking. And since then things have got better. The national side has had a fair bit to do with that – I get a lot out of being a part of it".[63]

Following the international break, he scored his second league goal of the season in a 3–1 win against the league leaders Brest.[67] On 21 November, Hazard assisted both Lille's goals in a 2–1 win over Monaco.[68] The victory continued the club's domestic unbeaten streak, which led to Lille topping the league table following an emphatic 6–3 victory against Lorient on 5 December.[69] At the turn of the calendar year, Hazard scored in the team's first match against amateur club Forbach in the Coupe de France. Lille won the match 3–1.[70] In the team's following match, he assisted goals scored by Moussa Sow and Gervinho in a 2–0 league victory over Nice.[71]

On 19 January, Hazard scored the second goal in a 3–0 victory over Nancy.[72] On 4 March, Lille officials confirmed that Hazard had signed a new contract until 2015, a deal which also made him the highest paid player in Ligue 1.[73][74][75] In his first match after the news, Hazard scored the opening goal in Lille's 2–1 away win over title rivals Marseille.[76] The goal was scored on a left-footed shot from almost 35 metres (38 yd) out and was clocked at 95 km/h (59 mph).[77] On 2 April, Hazard capped his 100th league appearance with Lille by scoring the second goal in a 3–1 win over Caen.[78] The goal tied his career-high for goals in a season and also moved Lille eight points clear at the top of the league table.[79] For his performances in the month of March, Hazard was named the UNFP Player of the Month for the second time in his career.[80] On 19 April, after appearing as a first-half substitute, he scored the opening goal in Lille's 2–0 Coupe de France semi-final victory over Nice.[81] The victory inserted the club into the 2011 Coupe de France Final; the club's first appearance in the competition's final since 1955. On 7 May, Hazard converted a game-winning free-kick goal in the team's 1–0 win over Nancy.[82] Three days later, he was nominated for the Ligue 1 Player of the Year award for the second consecutive season.[83]

In the Coupe de France final, Hazard played 89 minutes as Lille defeated PSG 1–0 at the Stade de France.[84] A week later, Lille clinched the Ligue 1 title by drawing 2–2 away to PSG, achieving the club's first league championship since the 1953–54 season and the club's first double since the 1945–46 season.[85][86] The domestic cup and league title were the first two honours in Hazard's career. On the day after Lille won the league, Hazard was named the Ligue 1 Player of the Year becoming the youngest player ever to win the award.[87] He was also rewarded with a place in the Team of the Year for the second consecutive season.[11]

Hazard taking a corner kick for Lille in 2011

Ahead of the 2011–12 season, Hazard switched to the number 10 shirt.[88] In Lille's first competitive match of the season against Marseille in the 2011 Trophée des Champions, Hazard scored the team's second goal, which put Lille up 2–0. Marseille would later come back to win the match 5–4.[89] On 10 September, he scored two goals in a 3–1 away victory against Saint-Étienne.[90][91] Fours days after, Hazard made his UEFA Champions League debut in a 2–2 group stage draw with Russian club CSKA Moscow.[92]

In Lille's next league match following his Champions League debut, he converted a penalty in a 2–2 draw with Sochaux.[93] Three days after, Hazard scored the equalizing goal in a 1–1 draw against Bordeaux.[94] After going over two months without scoring a league goal, on 3 December, Hazard came on as a substitute and scored the match-winning goal in a win over Ajaccio converting a penalty—described as an "Antonín Panenka-style chipped penalty".[95][96] Two days later, Hazard was among several players nominated for UEFA's Team of the Year for the 2011 calendar year.[97] In Lille's final match before the winter break, Hazard tied his career-high for league goals in a season by scoring the team's third goal in a 4–4 draw with Nice.[98] After scoring the goal, Hazard celebrated by paying tribute to Molami Bokoto, a former Lille youth academy player who had died a day prior.[99][100] On 3 March, Hazard scored both goals in a 2–2 draw with Auxerre.[101]

On 18 March, Hazard scored a goal and assisted two others in a 4–0 win over local rivals Valenciennes.[102] In Lille's next match against Evian, Hazard converted a penalty and assisted a goal by Dimitri Payet in a 3–0 win.[103] The following week, on 1 April, Hazard converted a first-half penalty and later assisted another Payet goal to cap a 2–1 victory over Toulouse.[104][105] On 15 April, Hazard marked his 100 consecutive Ligue 1 appearance, which to date, is the longest current run in the French top flight, by scoring a goal and assisting on another in a 4–1 win over Ajaccio.[106][107] On 29 April, in a vital league fixture against PSG, he converted his ninth penalty of the season to draw the match at 1–1 cancelling out a goal from Javier Pastore. Hazard later contributed to Lille's game-winning goal after delivering a rabona-style cross into the box, which was laid onto the path of striker Nolan Roux who, subsequently, converted the goal to give Lille a 2–1 win.[108][109]

On 28 April, for the third consecutive season, Hazard was nominated for the Player of the Year award.[110] Two weeks later, he was awarded the prestigious honour ahead of the likes of Olivier Giroud and Younès Belhanda.[111] After capturing the award, Hazard became the second player in the awards' history after former PSG striker Pauleta to achieve the honour in consecutive seasons.[112] He was also included in the Team of the Year for the third straight season. On 20 May, Hazard appeared in his final match as a Lille player against Nancy, the club he had made his professional debut against. In the match, Hazard scored his first hat-trick in a 4–1 win.[113]

On 4 June 2012, Chelsea officially confirmed on its website that the club had agreed terms with Lille for the transfer of Hazard. The midfielder agreed personal terms with the club and passed a medical examination. The transfer fee was reported to be priced at £32 million.[114] Upon signing, Hazard told the club's official website "I'm delighted to finally arrive here. It's a wonderful club and I can't wait to get started".[115] Hazard was given the number 17, which was previously worn by José Bosingwa.[116]

Hazard preparing to take a corner kick in September 2012

On 12 August 2012, Hazard made his debut for Chelsea in the 2012 FA Community Shield against Manchester City, which ended in a 3–2 defeat at Villa Park.[117] A week later, he made his league debut against Wigan Athletic at the DW Stadium. In the contest, Hazard provided the assist for Branislav Ivanović's opening goal and, minutes later, won a penalty, which Frank Lampard converted, earning his side a 2–0 victory.[118][119] He made his Stamford Bridge debut in the team's next fixture, against Reading on 22 August, he won another penalty from which Lampard converted. Hazard also assisted goals by Gary Cahill and Branislav Ivanović as Chelsea won 4–2 at Stamford Bridge.[120][121] Three days later, Hazard scored his first goal as a Chelsea player in a league match against Newcastle United after scoring a penalty. Chelsea won the match 2–0.[122]

Hazard made his Champions League debut for Chelsea in the team's opening group stage game against Juventus.[123] During December, he scored in back-to-back games, in a 5–1 away victory over Leeds United in the League Cup,[124] and an 8–0 league win against Aston Villa.[125] In January 2013, Hazard scored a goal with his left-foot from 25 yards in Chelsea's 4–0 win over Stoke City, as Chelsea inflicted the first home defeat of the season on Stoke.[126] He scored again in the following game, with an impressive strike from the edge of the area in a 2–2 draw at home to Southampton.[127]

On 23 January, he was sent off in the Football League Cup semi-final second leg game against Swansea City for kicking a ball out from underneath a ball boy who was lying on it in order to waste time. Chelsea went on to lose the tie 2–0.[129][130] Thereafter, he told Chelsea TV that he "apologised and the boy apologised" to each other.[131] It was later revealed that the 17-year-old ball boy had planned before the game to deliberately waste time.[132] On 9 February, he scored on his return from suspension in a 4–1 win at home against Wigan Athletic.[133]

On 21 February, Hazard came on as a substitute against Sparta Prague and scored an individual goal in stoppage time, to send Chelsea through to the last 16 on a 2–1 aggregate score.[134][135] Again Hazard came off the bench to make an impact for Chelsea, scoring a goal and providing an assist to Ramires, as the Blues came back 2–0 down to salvage a 2–2 draw against Manchester United in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup on 10 March, setting up a replay at Stamford Bridge.[136] On 17 March, Hazard put in a Man of the Match performance at Stamford Bridge in a 2–0 victory over West Ham United, assisting Lampard's 200th Chelsea goal, then scoring a solo goal.[137] On 11 May, at Villa Park, Hazard was the provider of Lampard's brace against Aston Villa, which enabled Lampard to break Bobby Tambling's all-time goal scoring record for Chelsea. However an injury picked up in the same game ruled him out of the Europa League Final.[138] Hazard ended his debut campaign at Chelsea with 13 goals in all competitions.

One of Chelsea's first games of the season was against Bayern Munich in the 2013 UEFA Super Cup, where Hazard played a vital role in the buildup to the first goal and scored the second, but went on to an eventual 5–4 defeat in the penalty shoot-out.[139] In October 2013, Hazard, as a substitute, scored the game-clinching goal in a 3–1 Premier League clash against Norwich City at Carrow Road,[140] before scoring twice and assisting Samuel Eto'o's first Chelsea goal in a comprehensive defeat of Cardiff City in the same competition.[141] Hazard netted his fifth goal of the season against Schalke in a crucial 0–3 Champions League Group stage win.[142] In October, Hazard was part of the 23-man shortlist of players nominated for the prestigious FIFA Ballon d'Or, awarded to the player who is voted the men's world footballer of the year.[143]

Hazard playing against Galatasaray in a UEFA Champions League match in February 2014

On 9 November, Hazard created Chelsea's first goal against West Bromwich Albion, which was scored by Eto'o. Later in the match Chelsea went 2–1 down, but Hazard scored a last minute penalty to clinch a point for his team.[144] On 4 December, Hazard scored a brace in a 4–3 away victory over Sunderland,[145] with coach José Mourinho claiming that Hazard delivered his best performance of the season.[146] Sunderland manager Gus Poyet also praised Hazard for his individual impact on the game, saying he was "outstanding. He was unplayable, as a manager I haven't come up against anyone like that."[147]

On 26 December, Hazard scored the only goal in Chelsea's 1–0 victory over Swansea.[149] In Chelsea's next league match, Hazard scored a goal from 25 yards during Chelsea's 2–1 victory over Liverpool.[150] After Hazard maintained his excellent form in Chelsea's 1–0 victory over Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on 3 February 2014, Mourinho declared Hazard as the best young footballer in the world.[151][152] Hazard scored his first Premier League hat-trick against Newcastle United at Stamford Bridge on 8 February.[153]

On 27 April, Hazard won the PFA Young Player of the Year award and finished as the runner-up to Luis Suárez for the PFA Players' Player of the Year award for his fine attacking performances under José Mourinho.[154] After Chelsea's Champions League exit against Atlético Madrid, Hazard claimed that Chelsea are only set up to counter-attack.[155] Mourinho responded by saying that Hazard "is not so mentally ready" to help his defence, blaming him for the first goal scored by the opponents.[155] In May, Hazard was voted Chelsea's Player of the Year in his second season at Stamford Bridge.[156]

Upon Juan Mata's departure from the club in January, Hazard was handed the number 10 shirt for Chelsea ahead of the 2014–15 season.[157] On 5 October, he won a penalty against Arsenal after being fouled by Laurent Koscielny, and then converted it himself past Wojciech Szczęsny to open a 2–0 victory which made Chelsea the last unbeaten team in the league.[158] In doing so, he maintained his 100% penalty record out of 16 penalties. He also became the only player in Europe who has taken more than 15 penalties and scored all of them.[159]

Hazard playing against Liverpool in the League Cup semi-finals in January 2015

His first goals of the Champions League campaign came on 21 October, netting from the penalty-spot and from open play in a 6–0 home win over Maribor.[160] On 5 November, away to the Slovene team, he earned an 85th-minute penalty but had it saved by Jasmin Handanović in a 1–1 draw.[161] Hazard opened the scoring in Chelsea's 2–0 win over Hull on 13 December, with the goal being only the second headed one of his entire career.[162] The header came as a surprised for many, even Mourinho, who stated: "That he scored in the air, I was surprised. He jumps a lot but normally he closes his eyes. So I was surprised, but very good goal."[163]

On 12 February 2015, Hazard signed a new five-and-a-half-year contract with Chelsea.[165] After signing, Hazard said: "I've signed a new contract and I'm very happy because I'm playing for one of the best clubs in the world."[166] He played the full 90 minutes in the club's victory in the League Cup Final at Wembley Stadium on 1 March, a 2–0 win over Tottenham.[167]

On 18 April, Hazard scored the only goal in a home win over Manchester United, after he latched on to Oscar's backheel pass to score past David de Gea. He was voted Man of the Match thereafter for his performance.[168] As a result of Hazard's impressive performances throughout the 2014–15 campaign, his manager declared him "one of the top three players in the world".[169] On 26 April, Hazard was recognised as the best player of the season among his peers, winning the PFA Players' Player of the Year.[170] A week later, he scored the only goal as Chelsea defeated Crystal Palace to win their first Premier League title since 2010. He won a penalty after being fouled by James McArthur, and took it himself, heading in the rebound after it was saved by Julián Speroni.[171]

On 26 May, Hazard was voted as Chelsea's Player of the Year for the second year in a row. There are only four other players that have done it in the past; Juan Mata, Frank Lampard, Ray Wilkins, and John Hollins.[172]

Hazard playing against Dynamo Kyiv in the UEFA Champions League in October 2015

Hazard endured a difficult start to the 2015–16 season, missing a penalty in the Champions League group stage against Maccabi Tel Aviv.[173] On 27 October, in the fourth round of the League Cup away to Stoke, Hazard was the only player to miss in Chelsea's penalty shootout elimination, his attempt being saved by Jack Butland.[174] Hazard endured a 2,358-minute scoreless run across 30 matches until 31 January 2016, when he scored from the penalty spot, his 50th goal for Chelsea in all competitions, in a 5–1 win over Milton Keynes Dons in the fourth round of the FA Cup.[175]

In February, Hazard was scrutinised when he said it would "be difficult to say no" to a move to Paris Saint-Germain.[176] He remained scoreless in the league until 23 April, when he recorded two goals in a 4–1 victory at Bournemouth; after the result, interim manager Guus Hiddink insisted that Hazard would remain at Chelsea by next season.[176] For the second consecutive campaign, Hazard scored the goal that decided the Premier League; he came on as a substitute at home to Tottenham on 2 May, and scored an equaliser as Chelsea came from 2–0 down at half-time to draw. The result meant Leicester City won the title at Tottenham's expense.[177] On 11 May 2016, Hazard scored his fourth and final league goal of the season against Liverpool, although Chelsea were unable to hold on to the lead, with fellow countryman Christian Benteke scoring in extra time as the match finished in a 1–1 draw.[178]

On 15 August, in Chelsea's opening Premier League match of the season, Hazard scored a penalty in a 2–1 win over West Ham United.[179] Hazard recorded a total of 81 touches throughout the game, and his performance earned him the Man of the Match.[180] On 27 August, Hazard contributed another Man of the Match display in the 3–0 victory over Burnley, scoring the opener in the ninth minute.[181] After voting ended on 5 September, Hazard received the most votes from the public poll, 41%, for the Premier League Player of the Month award[182] although Raheem Sterling was later named the Player of the Month by a Premier League panel.[183]

Hazard during a Premier League game against West Bromwich Albion in December 2016

On 15 October, Hazard, along with Diego Costa dedicated their goals to Willian, whose mother had died earlier that week, in the 3–0 victory over the champions, Leicester City.[184] On 23 October, he scored his fourth goal of the season in a 4–0 win over former Chelsea manager, José Mourinho's Manchester United, equalling the number of league goals he managed in the previous season.[185] Hazard continued his excellent form, scoring the first goal and assisting the second in Chelsea's 2–0 win over Southampton on 30 October. This marked the first time that he had scored in three consecutive Premier League games.[186] His run of form continued into the next match as he scored two goals and assisted another in Chelsea's 5–0 win against Everton at Stamford Bridge on 5 November. Hazard's performance against Everton earned him another Man of the Match award, his third in a row in the Premier League.[187] On 18 November, Hazard was named the Premier League Player of the Month for October.[188]

On 26 December, Hazard led the Blues to their twelfth consecutive league victory, a new club record, in the 3–0 victory over Bournemouth. He also converted a penalty for his 50th Premier League goal, making him the sixth Chelsea player to achieve this feat.[189] On 20 April 2017, Hazard was named in the PFA Team of the Year for the fourth time in his five seasons at Chelsea.[190] Two days later, he scored after coming on as a substitute in Chelsea's 4–2 FA Cup semi-final victory over rivals Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley Stadium.[191]

Hazard playing against Newcastle United in the FA Cup in January 2018

At the beginning of the summer, Hazard suffered an ankle injury in training during international duty.[192] The injury ruled him out for 6 to 8 weeks; missing the entire preseason and the Premier League opener.[193] On 25 August, Hazard returned to action, playing 75 minutes for the Chelsea U23 side.[194] On 28 October, Hazard scored his first league goal of the season in a 1–0 win against Bournemouth in the Premier League.[195] On 3 January 2018, Hazard scored in a 2–2 draw with rivals Arsenal.[196] Two goals against Brighton & Hove Albion on 20 January made it 100 league goals in his career. Hazard's double helped Chelsea to a 4–0 win at Falmer Stadium.[197] On 12 February, Hazard scored a double in a 3–0 win over West Bromwich Albion.[198]

In the 2018 FA Cup Final on 19 May, Hazard won a penalty which he converted, sending it low to the right past Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea for the only goal of the game.[199]

Hazard wearing his Europa League winners medal in May 2019

Hazard scored on his first start of the 2018–19 season, converting a penalty in a 2–1 win against Newcastle United on 26 August.[200] On 15 September, Hazard scored a hat-trick in a 4–1 win over Cardiff City.[201] He came off the bench to give Chelsea a 2–1 come-from-behind win over Liverpool in the third round of the EFL Cup at Anfield on 26 September. It was his sixth goal in seven appearances to start the season.[202] In the next fixture, against Liverpool in the Premier League, he made it seven goals in eight games, opening the scoring in a 1–1 draw at Stamford Bridge.[203] On 16 December, Hazard scored and assisted a goal for Pedro as Chelsea won 2–1 away to Brighton & Hove Albion in the league, before coming off the bench to send Chelsea through to the EFL Cup semi-final at the expense of Bournemouth three days later.[204][205] He scored both goals in a 2–1 Boxing Day win against Watford at Vicarage Road, the first of which was his 100th Blues and 150th career club goal.[206]

On 9 May 2019, Hazard scored the decisive penalty in a 4–3 shootout win over Eintracht Frankfurt at Stamford Bridge to send Chelsea to the Europa League Final.[207] His tally of 15 assists for the 2018–19 Premier League season saw him win the Premier League's Playmaker of the Season award.[208] Hazard joined Thierry Henry, Matt Le Tissier and Eric Cantona to become the 4th player in premier league history to record at least 15 goals and 15 assists in a premier league season.[209] On 29 May, Chelsea won the Europa League following a 4–1 win over Arsenal in the final, in which Hazard scored twice, also assisting Pedro's goal.[210] After the match, Hazard suggested that it probably was the last time he would play for the club.[211]

Hazard during a preseason match with Real Madrid in 2019

On 7 June 2019, La Liga club Real Madrid announced on their website that Hazard would be signing for them for the 2019–20 season. He signed a contract until 30 June 2024 for a reported fee of €100 million, which could rise to €146.1 million due to additional fees, on a deal worth £400,000 per week.[212][213][214] Hazard was formally unveiled in front of 50,000 fans on 13 June at the Santiago Bernabéu. Hazard became Madrid's most expensive player after Gareth Bale who was signed for €101 million in 2013. Should any of the variables be met, Hazard would become Madrid's most expensive player in their history.[215] Hazard was presented at the Bernabéu without a number on his jersey; he had been wearing the number 10 for both Chelsea and Belgium for a number of years, and admitted that he had asked Luka Modrić for the number at Madrid but Modrić refused to give it away.[216] Nearly two months later, Madrid confirmed that Hazard will wear the number 7, previously worn by club legends Cristiano Ronaldo, Raúl González and Emilio Butragueño.[217]

Upon signing with Real Madrid, Hazard said "I've dreamt about this since I was little, I always supported Real Madrid" and described it as "a true honour." He listed manager Zinedine Zidane as a defining factor in making the move, as he had always been an admirer of him.[218]

Hazard made his debut on 14 September 2019, coming on as a substitute in a 3–2 victory over Levante in La Liga at the Bernabeu.[219] On 5 October, he scored his first competitive goal for Los Blancos, right before half time against Granada in his first home league start. In the second half, he also got his first assist which was to Modrić in an eventual 4–2 victory.[220] On 26 November, Hazard suffered an ankle injury against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League group stage after a rash challenge by Belgium teammate Thomas Meunier. He was unable to continue and was substituted moments later.[221] A day later, Madrid's medical team suggested the ankle injury was "an external bruise" expected to keep Hazard on the sidelines for just 10 days.[222] But one week later, further tests by the medical team revealed he suffered an "incomplete external micro fracture" in his right ankle, with no set return date.[223] Hazard went on to miss 16 Madrid matches across four competitions, which included the first El Clásico of the season, the Supercopa de España victory in Jeddah and the entire Copa del Rey campaign which ended with a quarter-final exit to Sociedad.[224][225][226]

On 16 February, Hazard made his return from injury and started against Celta Vigo in La Liga. He earned a penalty after being fouled by Celta's goalkeeper Rubén Blanco in the area, which Sergio Ramos converted to make it 2–1 to the hosts. Hazard went off to a standing ovation in the 73rd minute.[227] Six days later, he suffered a "fracture to his right distal fibula" in his ankle during Madrid's 1–0 defeat against Levante and was forced off the pitch in the second half.[228][229] The ankle injury forced Hazard to miss Madrid's two biggest games of the season, the Champions League Round of 16 clash against Manchester City and the second league El Clasico.[230] In early March, Hazard's ankle was operated on in Dallas and he was expected to be out for three months, meaning his season would likely be over.[231] After La Liga restarted in June after a three-month hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Hazard was available for selection.[232] On 14 June, in Madrid's first league game after the break, Hazard assisted Sergio Ramos against Eibar in a 3–1 win at the Alfredo di Stéfano Stadium.[233] At the end of the season he had made 16 league appearances, as Madrid won the 2019–20 La Liga.[234]

On 31 October, Hazard scored his first goal of the 2020–21 season in Madrid's 4–1 home league win over Huesca.[235] On 25 November, he scored his first Champions League goal with Madrid in a 2–0 away win against Inter Milan.[236]

Hazard played for various Belgian national youth teams, such as the under-17 and under-19 teams. With the under-17 team, he was a regular in the team making 17 appearances and scoring two goals. He played with the team in the Toto Cup, a yearly international youth tournament held in Austria and, also, played in the 2007 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship, which Belgium hosted. In the tournament, Hazard scored his only goal in the team's opening match against the Netherlands converting a penalty in a 2–2 draw.[237] The match was a homecoming for Hazard, as it was played in Tubize, where he spent part of his youth career.[238] Throughout the tournament, Hazard impressed media and coaches, which led to many in Belgium comparing him to Belgian football legend Enzo Scifo.[239][240][241]

Belgium suffered elimination in the semi-finals of the competition, losing to Spain 7–6 on penalties. Belgium were minutes away from a victory, courtesy of an own goal from David Rochela, which Hazard was particularly instrumental in, however Barcelona striker Bojan Krkić equalized for his nation to send the match into extra time.[242] Due to finishing in third place at the tournament, Belgium qualified for the 2007 FIFA U-17 World Cup, held in South Korea. Hazard was selected to participate and played in all three group stage matches, where Belgium were eliminated.

After playing at the FIFA U-17 World Cup in August and September 2007, Hazard began earning call-ups to the under-19 team the following month in October. His first appearance came in a 2008 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship qualification match against Romania coming on as a substitute in a 4–0 victory.[243] He subsequently played in the next two group stage matches against Iceland and England. Belgium lost both matches.[244][245] The negative results eliminated the country from the tournament. Due to being an underage player the previous year, Hazard was eligible for the under-19 team for the 2008–09 season. Due to his growing participation with Lille's first team, Hazard was only allowed to play in 2009 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship qualification matches by his club and, as a result, missed the 2008 edition of the Milk Cup, which was held during Lille's preseason.

On 7 October 2008, Hazard scored his first under-19 goal in the team's 5–0 victory over Estonia.[246] Three days later, he scored a double in a 2–2 draw with Croatia.[247] In the Elite Round, Hazard led the team in goals scoring three. In the opening match against the Republic of Ireland, he scored the lone goal.[248] In the next match, Hazard was influential in the team's 5–0 thrashing of Sweden scoring a goal and assisting on two others.[249] In the team's final match, they faced Switzerland. Belgium needed an outright victory to progress to the 2009 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship, but were eliminated from qualifying after drawing 1–1 with the Swiss, despite Hazard opening the scoring for Belgium in the 21st minute.[250]

On 18 November 2008, Hazard was called up to the Belgium senior team, for the first time, by manager René Vandereycken for the team's match against Luxembourg. Prior to making his national team debut with Belgium, Hazard was courted by French Football Federation officials who sought the player to play for the France national team as he had become eligible for French citizenship. Hazard did not respond to the courtship and later stated "Because of my presence in France for seven years, I feel 99% Belgian and 1% French, but the idea of French citizenship has never crossed my mind".[251]

Hazard made his highly anticipated debut for Belgium in the match against Luxembourg coming on as a substitute in the 67th minute for Wesley Sonck.[252] On his debut, Hazard became the eighth youngest international player in Belgian football history, at 17 years and 316 days.[253] On 12 August 2009, after three consecutive substitute appearances with the team, he made his first start under coach Franky Vercauteren in the team's 3–1 friendly loss to the Czech Republic.[254] Following the resignation of Vercauteren, he was replaced with manager Dick Advocaat. Under Advocaat, Hazard became a starter in the team and, on 14 November 2009, played a full match for the first time in his international career. In the match, which was played against Hungary, Hazard assisted two goals in a 3–0 win.

In May 2010, Advocaat was replaced as manager by Georges Leekens. After featuring as a starter in Leekens first three matches in charge, Hazard began appearing as a substitute for Belgium during the 2010–11 season. Leekens justified his benching of Hazard citing the players' domestic performance, which had been underwhelming at the time, while also admitting that Hazard displayed a lack of desire in training with the national team and often neglected his defensive duties during international matches.[64][255] After appearing as a substitute in two straight matches, Hazard returned to the starting lineup for the team's November 2010 friendly match against Russia. In the match, which Belgium won 2–0, Hazard assisted the team's opening goal scored by Romelu Lukaku.[256]

After featuring as a starter in the team's 1–1 draw with Finland in February 2011, Hazard was relegated back to the substitute's bench for the team's important March 2011 UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying matches as Leekens preferred Nacer Chadli and Mousa Dembélé on the wings.[257] Following the matches, French media began questioning why Hazard was struggling to be appreciated in his home country, while, at the same time, was being praised in France.[258] Marc Wilmots, assistant coach of the national team, responded to the media reports stating "Some people only see Eden's qualities" and "the French press are sometimes blinded by his moments of magic".[259]

In Belgium's next competitive match against Turkey on 3 June 2011, Hazard started the match, but was substituted out after 60 minutes. Disappointed with his performance and substitution, the midfielder retired to the locker room and was later spotted on television outside the stadium with his family eating a hamburger while the match was still ongoing.[260] Following the episode, which has become known as Burgergate in Belgium,[261] Hazard apologized for the defection, while Leekens attributed Hazard's response to the substitution as "a young player making a mistake".[262]

On 4 August, Leekens announced that Hazard would be disciplined for his actions during the Turkey match and, as a result, would miss the team's 10 August friendly match against Slovenia, as well as the team's Euro qualifying return match against Azerbaijan on 2 September and friendly against the United States four days later.[263] On 9 August, Hazard's management group issued a press release to the Belgian media. The release detailed Hazard's actions during the Turkey match, criticized the player's three-match suspension, as well as questioned Leekens constant criticism of Hazard.[264] On 25 August, it was announced that Leekens had lifted Hazard's suspension and the midfielder was subsequently named in the team to play the September fixtures.[265] Leekens decided to lift the suspension after having a meeting with Hazard that was organized by the player's agent.[266]

On 7 October 2011, nearly three years after his debut, Hazard scored his first international goal against Kazakhstan in a 4–1 victory.[267] The victory inserted Belgium into second-place position in its group in qualifying for UEFA Euro 2012 with the team needing a victory over Germany on 11 October to secure a place in the qualifying playoffs.[268] In the match against Germany, Hazard played the entire match as Belgium failed to earn a place in the European Championship, losing 3–1 in Düsseldorf.[269]

Hazard made nine appearances in the Red Devils' successful 2014 World Cup qualification campaign, scoring twice.[270] The first of these came on 22 March against the Republic of Macedonia at the Philip II Arena, converting a penalty to conclude a 2–0 win after being fouled by Aleksandar Lazevski.[271] Three days later in the reverse fixture, he beat two defenders before scoring the only goal of the game.[272]

On 13 May 2014, Hazard was named in Belgium's squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.[273] He assisted Dries Mertens' winning goal in the team's first game of the tournament, a 2–1 win against Algeria in Belo Horizonte.[274] In Belgium's second match, he assisted Divock Origi's 88th-minute goal, giving the Red Devils a 1–0 win over Russia and qualifying them for the knockout stage,[275] eventually reaching the quarter-finals, where they were eliminated by Argentina.[276]

On 7 June 2015, due to the suspension of regular skipper Vincent Kompany, Hazard captained Belgium for the first time in a friendly against France at the Stade de France, scoring a penalty for Belgium's final goal in a 4–3 victory.[277] He won another penalty in a UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying match on 3 September when fouled by Bosnia and Herzegovina's Ognjen Vranješ, and converted it past his Chelsea clubmate Asmir Begović to conclude Belgium's 3–1 comeback victory.[278] Three days later, he finished Mertens' cross with four minutes remaining, for the only goal in an away win over Cyprus.[279] On 10 October, Hazard scored a spot-kick again after Óscar Sonejee's handball, in a 4–1 win over Andorra which sealed Belgium's qualification to the continental championship for the first time since co-hosting UEFA Euro 2000.[280]

Due to the absence of Kompany, Hazard was named captain of Belgium for the UEFA Euro 2016 finals.[281] He scored a solo goal against Hungary in the last 16, before Belgium were eliminated by Wales in the quarter-finals.[282][283] Alongside Aaron Ramsey, he finished as the top assist provider of the tournament with four assists.[284]

Appointed Belgium captain for the 2018 World Cup, Hazard led his nation to third place, the best finish in their history.[285]

Hazard was appointed captain of Belgium for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.[286] In the first game against Panama, he assisted the third goal of the match scored by Lukaku as Belgium won 3–0.[287] He then scored twice (which included a penalty) in their second group stage victory against Tunisia. His penalty goal in the 6th minute was the team's second quickest goal in the history of the tournament.[288] Hazard was also selected the Man-of-the-match after his impressive performance against Tunisia.[289] In the final group match, Hazard did not play in Belgium's 1–0 victory over England as he, together with eight other starters in the previous two matches, were rested by Roberto Martinez.[290] In Belgium's 3–2 victory over Japan in the last 16, Hazard was instrumental in mounting a comeback from a two-goal deficit as Belgium became the first team in 52 years to come back from 0–2 down to win a World Cup knockout match.[291] For his second consecutive game, Hazard was once again voted the Man of the match by FIFA sponsors, Budweiser.[292]

Hazard was again in scintillating form in the quarter-finals as he helped lead Belgium to its second World Cup semi-final in their history with a 2–1 victory over five-time champions Brazil. In that game, Hazard set a World Cup record for successful dribbles completed in any World Cup game since 1966, with a 100% success rate in ten dribbles.[293][294] In the semi-finals, which was a tight game, Belgium were defeated by eventual champions France 1–0 courtesy of Frenchman Samuel Umtiti's header and France's subsequent deep defense.[295] On 14 July, Hazard's third Man of the match performance ensured victory for Belgium with his goal in the 82nd minute in a 2–0 victory against England in their third-place play-off, his nation's best ever World Cup finish.[296][297]

At the end of the 2018 FIFA World Cup on 15 July the FIFA Technical Study Group (TSG) selected Hazard as the second best player of the tournament, awarding him the Silver Ball.[298] In addition to his dribbling he scored three goals and provided two assists in total, as well as being selected the Man of the match on three different occasions – more than any other player.[298]

Hazard made his 100th cap for Belgium during the Euro 2020 qualifiers in a 2–0 away win against Cyprus in March 2019, scoring the second goal in that match.[299][300] Hazard captained Belgium to become the first team to qualify for the tournament.[301]

Hazard taking on the Norwich City defence for Chelsea in October 2012

Hazard primarily plays as either an attacking midfielder or a winger and has been credited as being "possibly the outstanding talent in Europe right now".[302] At Lille under former manager Rudi Garcia, Hazard often played in the latter role in the team's 4–3–3 formation and regularly switched flanks because he could use both feet. Following the departures of fellow playmakers Yohan Cabaye and Gervinho in 2011, during the 2011–12 season, Garcia played Hazard in a creative role as a central attacking midfielder, while also allowing the player to roam back onto the wing if necessary. Two of Hazard's most common exemplary traits are his pace and technical ability, which have been described as "astonishing" and "mesmerizing".[63] His speed, acceleration, and dribbling skills, combined with his creativity,[303][304][305] as well as his flair, balance, agility, and low centre of gravity, courtesy of his diminutive stature (1.73 m/5 feet 8 inches),[306] allow him to retain possession, take on defenders, and beat opponents in one on one situations.[307][308]

At Chelsea, Hazard matured into a world class player and was primarily utilised as a left midfielder, a position which enables him to cut into the centre and strike on goal with his stronger right foot.[309] His development into one of the world's best players was highlighted in the 2014–15 Season; during this season he won multiple awards[310] and received praise from pundits and manager alike. Manager Jose Mourinho praised Hazard, saying that "He is already a top player and his evolution has been fantastic. He is still very young and he can become the best player in the world."[311] Hazard's former teammate and Lille captain Rio Mavuba described Hazard as "a great player, with an immense talent. He's actually not that big, but he's so fast. He's also very difficult to dispossess and his finishing is top notch".[63] Hazard's frequent goal celebration saw him sliding on his knees; since 2018 he has stayed on his feet.[312] Although Hazard's favoured role is as a left winger, he is a versatile attacker,[313] and has also been deployed as a second striker,[314] as a lone striker,[315] or even as a false-9 on occasion throughout his career.[316] Beyond his speed, creativity, technical skills, and offensive qualities, he is also an accurate penalty[317] and free kick taker.[313]

Acclaimed for his dribbling, creativity and ball retention skills, the FIFA website regards Hazard as being "difficult to dispossess."[318]

Hazard's pace, coupled with his finishing and ability to retain possession, led to his former coach Claude Puel dubbing him "little Messi", in reference to the Barcelona player.[319] 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".[62] Hazard's "flair and tricky" style of play has been described as being similar to Real Madrid player Cristiano Ronaldo; a comparison later repeated by former French international Christophe Dugarry.[320] 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,[321][322][323] which in turn, combined with his finishing ability, enables him to both score and create goals.[313][324]

In Belgium, Hazard's talent and similar ascension up the country's football hierarchy has led to comparisons to former Belgian international Enzo Scifo.[17][325] Both players share the same birthplace and Scifo himself spent time with Hazard while he was in Tubize admitting "Eden, you know, I've coached in Tubize. During the week, I took care of the young people at least once, and he, in those days, I immediately saw he had a secure future".[325] Former Chelsea player Gianfranco Zola likened Hazard to himself in 2019,[326] a view which was the Belgian's former club teammate Frank Lampard had previously expressed in 2013.[128]

However, despite the positive opinions, Hazard has endured criticism from some. In 2010, former Belgium national team manager Georges Leekens questioned Hazard's work-rate.[327] Lille youth academy director Jean-Michel Vandamme countered both managers' criticism by arguing that Hazard simply possesses an intellectual honesty that is out of the ordinary and unexpected of today's footballer declaring "He is a real competitor, not a cheat, nor a moaner, because you don't hear him complaining when he gets fouled".[62]

Hazard is married to Natacha Van Honacker. On 19 December 2010, it was reported that she had given birth to a baby boy, Yannis. She gave birth to their second son, Leo, in February 2013,[328][329] and a third son, Samy, in September 2015.[330]

On 7 November 2020, he tested positive for COVID-19.[331]

In 2012, Hazard signed a sponsorship deal with sportswear and equipment supplier, Nike. He appeared in an advert for the Nike Green Speed II alongside Mario Götze, Theo Walcott, Raheem Sterling, Christian Eriksen and Stephan El Shaarawy in November 2012.[332][333]

Hazard features on the cover of EA Sports' FIFA video game FIFA 15 in Belgium, the UK, the Netherlands and France, along with Lionel Messi.[334] Hazard, Marco Reus, James Rodríguez and Anthony Martial were announced as the official ambassadors of the game and were the finalists to be the new face of FIFA 17.[335] Hazard was named the new face of the franchise in 2019 – taking over from Cristiano Ronaldo – appearing as the cover star of the regular edition of FIFA 20.[336]

Since March 2016, Hazard has been appearing in adverts for Belgium-based Lotus Bakeries promoting their Biscoff biscuit range. The advert shows him successfully taking a free kick, sending a ball into a gap in 10,000 cups.[337]

On 26 June 2017, Hazard became a part-owner of expansion North American Soccer League franchise San Diego 1904 FC to begin play in 2018, alongside Demba Ba, Yohan Cabaye and Moussa Sow.[338]

As of match played 30 January 2021

As of match played 19 November 2019[352]

As of match played 16 November 2019. Belgium score listed first, score column indicates score after each Hazard goal.[355]

List of international scored by Eden Hazard

No.	Date	Venue	Cap	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	7 October 2011	King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, Belgium	23	Kazakhstan	2–0	4–1	UEFA Euro 2012 qualification
2	25 May 2012		27	Montenegro	2–1	2–2	Friendly
3	6 February 2013	Jan Breydel Stadium, Bruges, Belgium	34	Slovakia	1–0	2–1
4	22 March 2013	Philip II Arena, Skopje, Macedonia	35	Macedonia	2–0	2–0	2014 FIFA World Cup qualification
5	26 March 2013	King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, Belgium	36		1–0	1–0
6	1 June 2014	Friends Arena, Solna, Sweden	44	Sweden	2–0	2–0	Friendly
7	28 March 2015	King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, Belgium	54	Cyprus	4–0	5–0	UEFA Euro 2016 qualification
8	7 June 2015	Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France	56	France	4–1	4–3	Friendly
9	3 September 2015	King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, Belgium	58	Bosnia and Herzegovina	3–1	3–1	UEFA Euro 2016 qualification
10	6 September 2015	GSP Stadium, Nicosia, Cyprus	59	Cyprus	1–0	1–0
11	10 October 2015	Estadi Nacional, Andorra la Vella, Andorra	60	Andorra	3–1	4–1
12	13 October 2015	King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, Belgium	61	Israel	3–0	3–1
13	5 June 2016		65	Norway	2–2	3–2	Friendly
14	26 June 2016	Stadium Municipal, Toulouse, France	69	Hungary	3–0	4–0	UEFA Euro 2016
15	7 October 2016	King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, Belgium	73	Bosnia and Herzegovina	2–0	4–0	2018 FIFA World Cup qualification
16	10 October 2016	Estádio Algarve, Faro/Loulé, Portugal	74	Gibraltar	6–0	6–0
17	13 November 2016	King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, Belgium	76	Estonia	3–0	8–1
18	31 August 2017	Stade Maurice Dufrasne, Liège, Belgium	77	Gibraltar	6–0	9–0
19	10 October 2017	King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, Belgium	80	Cyprus	1–0	4–0
20					3–0
21	10 November 2017		81	Mexico	1–0	3–3	Friendly
22	6 June 2018		85	Egypt	2–0	3–0
23	23 June 2018	Otkritie Arena, Moscow, Russia	88	Tunisia	1–0	5–2	2018 FIFA World Cup
24					4–1
25	14 July 2018	Krestovsky Stadium, Saint Petersburg, Russia	92	England	2–0	2–0
26	7 September 2018	Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland	93	Scotland	2–0	4–0	Friendly
27	11 September 2018	Laugardalsvöllur, Reykjavík, Iceland	94	Iceland	1–0	3–0	2018–19 UEFA Nations League A
28	21 March 2019	King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, Belgium	99	Russia	2–1	3–1	UEFA Euro 2020 qualification
29					3–1
30	24 March 2019	GSP Stadium, Nicosia, Cyprus	100	Cyprus	1–0	2–0
31	16 November 2019	Krestovsky Stadium, Saint Petersburg, Russia	105	Russia	2–0	4–1
32					3–0