- Belgian favoured fun over hard work
- Retired at the age of 32
- Now figures in exhibition matches
Ex-Belgium international Hazard earned a reputation during his playing days for avoiding hard work behind the scenes. He openly admitted as much, with the tricky playmaker all about having fun on and off the pitch.
Training was not really his scene, with natural ability allowing him to flourish at Chelsea – where he worked with Mourinho and Conte – before seeing his career come off the rails somewhat at Real Madrid.
Hazard retired in October 2023 at 32 years of age. He has lined up in exhibition games since then, including the ‘Icon Match’. That event is returning in 2025, with games taking place at Seoul World Cup Stadium in mid-September.
Hazard will be representing the Creative Team (FC Sphere) when they take on the Shield Team (Shield United). He is eager to perform better than he did 12 months ago, telling ‘Shoot for Love’: “Last year, my team-mates didn’t pass the ball to me enough! This time, the real Hazard is coming. I just need to prove it again on the field.”
Pre-match work is being put in, with Hazard jokingly saying of how some passionate coaches that he worked with would react to the sight of him breaking into a sweat: “F*ck you! You never did something with us and now you do training! Conte is going to kill me. Mourinho is going to kill me. Sorry boss!”
Hazard faced questions of his weight towards the end of his career, but the decision to hang up his boots still came as a surprise to many – with the Belgian considered to be one of the best players in world football when winning Premier League titles at Stamford Bridge.
