Hazard leaves fans wanting more despite etching himself into Chelsea folklore

11 October 2023 , 01:00

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Eden Hazard has retired from football (Image: Isosport/MB Media/Getty Images)

It started with a tweet.

On May 25, 2012, Eden Hazard ended a year-long, Europe-wide guessing game by confirming he would sign for Chelsea. Over the subsequent, scintillating, seven years he would justify the hype with two Premier League titles, the FA Cup, the League Cup and two Europa League trophies.

As for the goals, there were 110 of them in 352 appearances across all competitions. They included the winner in the 2019 Europa League final against Arsenal in his final appearance for the club.

He moved to Real Madrid in 2019 but it all turned sour with just just 54 La Liga appearances and seven goals in 76 games in all competitions. Still, though, he would add the Champions League, a Club World Cup, a European Super Cup, two La Liga titles, one Copa del Rey and two Spanish Super Cups to his groaning trophy cabinet.

And, following his confirmation that he has now retired from football, the Premier League will remember him as a serial thriller. A twinkle-toed entertainer to whom so much came naturally.

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There were so many, too many, gems to choose from - including his sensational solo goal against Liverpool in the Carabao Cup back in 2018. The individual stoppage-time goal against Sparta Prague clinched qualification to the knockout stages on the way to winning the 2012 Europa League.

Or one of many in which he took on half a team and won, this time against Arsenal in February 2017. Social media enjoyed them all - and more - in the hours after Hazard’s announcement. His ability to leave his audience wanting more has never been in doubt.

Hazard will live long in the memory for his exploits at Chelsea ((Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images))

Darren Lewis