'I used to be one in all 5 stars Cristiano Ronaldo tipped for greatness – however issues didn't work out'
Cristiano Ronaldo believed a chief Eden Hazard at Chelsea would go on to be an all-conquering star in European soccer however his spell at Actual Madrid was lacklustre
View 3 PicturesEden Hazard was one in all 5 gamers Cristiano Ronaldo tipped to supplant him in 2016. The Belgian was talismanic for Chelsea however didn’t dwell as much as expectations with Actual Madrid.
The previous Lille winger was scorching property in 2012 when Chelsea snapped him up for £32million from the French facet and he didn't disappoint. Hazard made a direct influence at Stamford Bridge and in simply his third season there he gained the Premier League.
Hazard went off the boil barely after that title win, although, however continued to be a vital a part of Chelsea's squad. In 2019 he left for Actual Madrid in a staggering £130m package deal, however massively underwhelmed throughout his time in Spain.
Three years prior, Los Blancos icon Ronaldo was requested for a handful of gamers he thought may comply with in his footsteps to develop into one of many world's all-conquering greatest. He gave Hazard as one in all 5 solutions and though the winger was typically unplayable in west London, he by no means fairly reached such heights.
Requested for some stars who may change him on the high 9 years in the past, Ronaldo informed BT Sport: "You see many gamers with potential, I’ll point out [Martin] Odegaard of Madrid for instance. At 16 he's nonetheless younger however you’ll be able to see he's an excellent participant.
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"[Eden] Hazard, for instance, the No.7 of Manchester United [Memphis] Depay is an effective participant too. [Also Paul] Pogba and perhaps Neymar."
View 3 PicturesHazard had a slight hunch in the course of the 2015/16 marketing campaign however bounced again as Chelsea gained the league once more the next season. He additionally gained the FA Cup in 2018.
However within the years after Ronaldo's prediction, he merely didn't dwell as much as expectations. After his transfer to the Spanish capital, Hazard was tormented by harm and made simply 76 appearances throughout 4 years. He netted simply seven objectives regardless of being considered by some as a substitute for Juventus-bound Ronaldo.
In 2023 each events got here to a mutual settlement to terminate Hazard's contract a yr early and he hung up his boots months afterward the again of extra harm turmoil.
Hazard by no means fairly reached the world-beating heights that Ronaldo predicted for him and after he left the Bernabeu, he revealed that he didn't slot in on the membership.
View 3 Pictures"It [Real Madrid] is a little bit of a 'swaggering' membership, and I'm not like that. I additionally didn't like the best way we performed for those who examine it to different golf equipment," Hazard informed L'Equipe. "However, it was my dream. I couldn't end my profession with out coming right here.
"I might've appreciated to do issues my means and succeed. It reveals that Actual Madrid is greater than the rest. It's sophisticated to play there. Possibly I wanted to coach extra. I additionally had the worst accidents on the worst occasions.
"The operation, the plate… I'm coming again, [and] it hurts, I'm sore. Within the second season, Ancelotti arrives. I had good preparation, I play effectively, however my physique, the ache, the accidents…"
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