Why Eden Hazard will be remembered as a Premier League great

 

"I was able to realise my dream." Any young football fan dreams of becoming a footballer, and one as exciting as Eden Hazard during his prime. The 32-year-old called time on his career on Tuesday as injuries finally took their toll on the Belgian. Out of contract following his release from Real Madrid over the summer and unable to find a new club, Hazard made the decision to end his career as a professional footballer. Having won the Premier League, Ligue 1, La Liga and the Premier League, the winger's dream came true.

 

For a brief period, too, there were legitmate claims to be made that Hazard was the best player in the world. Yes, the usual arguments between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo would so often do the rounds, but there was a time where Hazard was unplayable. Cast your minds back to the 2018/19 season. France were world champions having secured international glory in Russia, few had even heard of COVID-19, let alone were prepared for what was to come, and Tottenham would gear up for a Champions League final at the end of the campaign. 

 

The final race to secure a top-four finish in the Premier League that season was... excruciating. Ultimately Chelsea and Spurs pipped Arsenal to third and fourth, respectively, as the London trio continued to trip up over themselves in their quest for Champions League football. The Blues, though, their not-so-secret ace in the hole, and boy was he a handy ace to call upon.

 

There are innumerable superlatives to describe Hazard. Incredible; Superb; Wonderful; Magnificent; Mesmerising... the list could go on, and all would be deserving. As Chelsea would labour, Hazard would bail the Blues out time and time again. He finished the 2018/19 season, his last at Stamford Bridge, with a WhoScored rating of 7.81, that far and away the best in the Premier League, as he won at least six more player of the match awards (14) than any other player. He was one of just three players to secure a double-double that campaign having scored 16 and provided a further 15 assists, the latter ranking first. 

 

 

In addition, Hazard finished top for successful dribbles (137) and second to James Maddison for key passes (98) to really mark what was a stunning campaign in a Chelsea shirt. He made gliding past defenders look easy and had an end product to boot. Following his arrival from Lille in 2012, it was obvious from the outset that the Blues had a special player on their hands, and that culminated in that outrageous final season at Stamford Bridge before his move to Real Madrid in 2019. 

 

Los Blancos fans were unable to witness the Belgian wing wizard in his prime during his four years in Spain, Hazard ultimately spending more time on the sidelines than on the pitch, but there is a reason he'll be fondly remembered as one of the best to grace the Premier League. He was a winger who consistently delivered at a club as volatile as Chelsea and made the game look easy in the process. Markers would go to great lengths to minimise his impact, yet all that would do is delay the inevitable. 

 

However, in retirement, lessons must be learned. From such a young age, Hazard was playing upwards of 30 league games a season up until his injury-plagued spell in Spain. To call time on his career at just 32 is a waste of such a talented player, and when you see the likes of Jude Bellingham and Bukayo Saka, to name two, run into the ground week in, week out, there's a cautionary tale in the form of the Belgian winger. 

 

Nevertheless, there's no denying that Hazard deserves the plaudits thrown his way on the day of his retirement. When football fans talk of the best to ever player in England, the likes of Thierry Henry and Sergio Aguero are brought up, and Hazard has earned the right to be mentioned in the same breath as the pair.

Why Eden Hazard will be remembered as a Premier League great