"It Was My Dream"- Hazard Reflects On Failed Real Madrid Career With Pride
Eden Hazard says he feels proud to have played for Real Madrid despite the challenges that blighted his spell in the Spanish capital.
Hazard retired from football last summer at the age of 32 after four miserable years at Real Madrid.
One of the most gifted playmakers of his generation, Hazard's career went downhill after joining Real Madrid from Chelsea in the summer of 2019.
He made just 76 appearances and scored seven goals during his injury-plagued spell in the Spanish capital and played very little in two Spanish La Liga title triumphs and one Champions League glory.
“It was my dream, I can tell you,” he said.
“Even if the story was not that good, we all know injuries and this and that, but when you look back you can see some pictures of me wearing the Real Madrid shirt and it was something I am really proud of.”
Asked whether he could have carried on playing had things ended differently at Madrid, he replied: “That’s a good question, who knows? I think so, but my time playing football was over, I had a lot of injuries, so no regrets.”
It was at Chelsea where Hazard showed his mettle as a true great of the game.
In seven years at Stamford Bridge, Hazard won the Premier League twice, the FA Cup, League Cup and two Europa Leagues.
The former Lille forward scored 110 goals in 352 games for Chelsea.
For his national team, Hazard spent 14 years in the Belgium team, winning 126 caps and scoring 36 goals.
He played at three FIFA World Cups and two European Championships, helping his country to third place at Russia 2018.
