Eden Hazard was one of those signings that ignited the excitement of Real Madrid fans. He arrived in the summer of 2019 to fill the void left by Cristiano Ronaldo and take on the role of star player. The story, however, quickly took a turn for the worse. An ankle injury a few months after arriving at the club marked his time at the club and prevented him from performing at the expected level.
The Belgian, now retired, looked back in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport and, when talking about the best memories of his career, he does not forget his time in white. “Third place at the 2018 World Cup with Belgium was a success; I was at my best. We are a small country, and that result was something incredible. I also fondly remember my first game against Chelsea, as well as everything I experienced with Real Madrid. I was unlucky in Spain, but playing at the Bernabeu was my childhood dream.”
Hazard also allows himself to advise the Spanish club by looking at Serie A. The Belgian is full of praise for Kenan Yildiz, one of the jewels of the Italian championship. “My kids are crazy about Yildiz, they watch a lot of videos of him playing and they hope to see him in the Premier League. However, he seems to me to be a Real Madrid player…”
He also recalls how Maurizio Sarri used him as an example to Cristiano Ronaldo, something that never really convinced him. “I told him I didn’t want to. I’ve never gone overboard, but I’ve always wanted to be Hazard on and off the pitch. If my friends invited me to dinner, I didn’t say no, and if I wanted a drink, I didn’t say no. Cristiano is Cristiano, I’m Hazard. I just wanted to be myself and play football.”
When he talks about the best coach he had, he does not hesitate. “Mourinho is the best coach I’ve ever had. An extraordinary communicator. His way of thinking and transmitting his ideas to the players is amazing.” He jokes sincerely about Sarri and remembers Conte’s toughness. “I used to tell Sarri that his training sessions were boring. It’s not a criticism, especially because the results prove him right, as well as Conte. Antonio was incredible; he made us do endless repetitions…”
Hazard comes full circle by confessing that Italy was never really on his radar. “Moratti flattered me a lot, but I always dreamed of playing in the Premier League and at Real Madrid, and luckily I did. And I’ll tell you a secret: as a child, I was a fan of AC Milan.”
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