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Eden Hazard

Hazard with Chelsea during the 2019 UEFA Europa League final

Personal information

Full name

Eden Michael Walter Hazard

Date of birth

7 January 1991 (age 34)

Place of birth

La Louvière, Belgium

Height

1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)

Position(s)

Winger, attacking midfielder

Youth career

1995–2003

Royal Stade Brainois

2003–2005

AFC Tubize

2005–2007

Lille

Senior career*

Years

Team

Apps

(Gls)

2007–2008

Lille II

(1)

2007–2012

Lille

147

(36)

2012–2019

Chelsea

245

(85)

2019–2023

Real Madrid

(4)

Total

459

(126)

International career

2006

Belgium U15

(1)

2006

Belgium U16

(2)

2006–2008

Belgium U17

(2)

2007–2009

Belgium U19

(6)

2008–2022

Belgium

126

(33)

Medal record


Men's football
Representing Belgium
FIFA World Cup
Third	2018 Russia

*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Eden Hazard is a famous Belgian former professional footballer. He was born on January 7, 1991. He played as a winger or attacking midfielder.

Hazard played for top clubs like Lille, Chelsea, and Real Madrid. He also played for the Belgium national team. People knew him for his amazing dribbling skills and creativity. Many consider him one of the best players of his time.

He started his senior career with Lille in 2007 when he was just 16. He quickly became a key player for the team. He was the first non-French player to win the Ligue 1 Young Player of the Year award. The next season, he won it again. In the 2010–11 season, he helped Lille win both the league and the cup. He was also named the Ligue 1 Player of the Year, becoming the youngest player to win this award.

After playing over 190 games for Lille, Hazard joined English club Chelsea in June 2012. He won the UEFA Europa League in his first season. He also won the PFA Young Player of the Year award in his second season. In the 2014–15 season, Hazard helped Chelsea win the Football League Cup and the Premier League. He received the FWA Footballer of the Year and PFA Players' Player of the Year awards for his great performances.

Two years later, he won his second English league title with Chelsea. In 2018, he won the FA Cup and was chosen for the FIFA FIFPRO Men's World 11, a team of the best players in the world. He won the Europa League again with Chelsea in 2019, scoring two goals in the final. At Chelsea, Hazard became known as one of the best players globally.

In 2019, he moved to Real Madrid for a very high transfer fee. However, he faced many injuries and did not play as much. He left Real Madrid in June 2023 and announced his retirement from football four months later.

Hazard played for Belgium at different youth levels. He made his debut for the senior national team in November 2008 at age 17. He played over 126 games for Belgium. He was part of the Belgian team that reached the quarter-finals of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, UEFA Euro 2016, and Euro 2020. At the 2018 FIFA World Cup, he was the captain and led Belgium to a third-place finish, their best ever. He received the FIFA World Cup Silver Ball as the second-best player of the tournament. He was the team captain from 2015 to 2022.

Early Life and Family

Eden Michael Walter Hazard was born on January 7, 1991, in La Louvière, Belgium. He grew up in Braine-le-Comte. Both his mother, Carine, and father, Thierry, were footballers. His father played at a semi-professional level. His mother played as a striker in the top women's league. She stopped playing when she was pregnant with Eden. After their playing careers, both parents became sports teachers.

Hazard is the oldest of four brothers. All of his brothers also play football. These include Thorgan, Kylian, and Ethan. The family lived very close to a football training ground. The brothers often practiced their skills there. Growing up, Eden's hero was French midfielder Zinedine Zidane. Hazard spent hours watching Zidane play on TV and online.

Club Career Highlights

Starting His Football Journey

Hazard began playing football at age four for his local club, Royal Stade Brainois. One of his youth coaches called him "gifted." He said Hazard "knew everything" about the game. Hazard played there for eight years before joining AFC Tubize. A scout from Lille noticed him during a tournament. This led to Lille offering him a youth contract.

Hazard's parents agreed to the offer from Lille. They hoped the training facilities in France would be better. His father believed moving to clubs in northern France was a good choice. He said it allowed his sons to grow as players while staying close to home.

Time at Lille

Hazard joined Lille in 2005. He spent two years training at the club's local sports school. In May 2007, he signed his first professional contract with Lille. He was just 16 years old.

In the 2007–08 season, Hazard joined the club's reserve team. He also played with Lille's under-18 team. He made his professional debut for the senior team on November 24, 2007. He came on as a substitute in a match against Nancy.

Becoming a Star Player

Hazard became a permanent member of the first team in the 2008–09 season. He scored his first goal on September 20, 2008, against Auxerre. This made him the youngest goalscorer in the club's history. He signed a new contract with Lille in November 2008.

After the season, he was named the Ligue 1 Young Player of the Year. He was the first non-French player to win this award. Many big clubs, like Arsenal, Manchester United, Barcelona, and Real Madrid, showed interest in him. Zinedine Zidane even recommended him to Real Madrid.

Hazard continued to shine in the 2009–10 season. He scored in Lille's first European match of the season. He also scored a fantastic goal against Italian club Genoa. He dribbled past six defenders before scoring. In March 2010, he won the UNFP Player of the Month award. He won the Young Player of the Year award for the second time in May 2010. He was the first player to do so.

Winning the League and Cup

The 2010–11 season was a huge success for Hazard and Lille. He helped the team win the Ligue 1 title. This was the club's first league championship since 1954. They also won the French Cup. This was the club's first "double" (winning both the league and cup) since 1946.

After Lille won the league, Hazard was named the Ligue 1 Player of the Year. He was the youngest player ever to win this award. He was also included in the Ligue 1 Team of the Year for the second season in a row.

Hazard playing for Lille in 2011

In his final season in France (2011–12), Hazard continued to impress. He scored two goals against Saint-Étienne. He also made his UEFA Champions League debut. On May 20, 2012, in his last match for Lille, he scored his first hat-trick in a 4–1 win against Nancy.

Moving to Chelsea

First Season and Europa League Win

Hazard playing for Chelsea in 2012

On June 4, 2012, Premier League club Chelsea announced they had agreed to sign Hazard. The transfer fee was reported to be around £32 million. Hazard was very happy to join Chelsea, calling it a "wonderful club."

He made his debut for Chelsea in August 2012. A week later, he made his league debut against Wigan Athletic. In that game, he set up the first goal and won a penalty for the second. He scored his first Chelsea goal from a penalty against Newcastle United.

Hazard made his Champions League debut for Chelsea in September 2012. In January 2013, he was sent off in a League Cup semi-final match. He later apologized for his actions. He finished his first season at Chelsea with 13 goals. He also helped Chelsea win the Europa League.

Winning the Premier League

Hazard playing for Chelsea in 2013

In October 2013, Hazard scored the winning goal against Norwich City. He also scored twice and assisted another goal against Cardiff City. He was nominated for the prestigious FIFA Ballon d'Or award. His coach, José Mourinho, called Hazard the best young footballer in the world.

Hazard scored his first Premier League hat-trick against Newcastle United in February 2014. In April 2014, he won the PFA Young Player of the Year award. He was also voted Chelsea F.C. Player of the Year in his second season.

Hazard playing for Chelsea in 2014

In October 2014, he scored a penalty against Arsenal. He had a perfect record of scoring all 16 penalties he had taken. Hazard signed a new contract with Chelsea in February 2015. His manager, Mourinho, said Hazard was "one of the top three players in the world."

On April 26, Hazard won the PFA Players' Player of the Year award. A week later, he scored the only goal as Chelsea beat Crystal Palace to win their first Premier League title since 2010. He was voted Chelsea's Player of the Year for the second year in a row.

Later Years at Chelsea

Hazard playing for Chelsea in 2015

The 2015–16 season was challenging for Hazard. He went a long time without scoring a goal. However, he scored his 50th goal for Chelsea in January 2016. In May, he scored the goal that helped Leicester City win the Premier League title. This happened when Chelsea drew with Tottenham, which meant Tottenham could no longer catch Leicester.

Hazard playing for Chelsea in 2016

Hazard returned to great form in the 2016–17 season. He scored a penalty in Chelsea's first league match. He continued to score important goals. In October 2016, he was named the Premier League Player of the Month. He helped Chelsea win their twelfth league victory in a row in December 2016. This was a new club record. He also scored his 50th Premier League goal. In April 2017, he was named in the PFA Team of the Year. Chelsea won the Premier League title that season.

In the 2017–18 season, Hazard suffered an ankle injury. He returned to score his first league goal in October. In January 2018, he scored two goals against Brighton & Hove Albion, reaching 100 league goals in his career. In May 2018, Hazard won a penalty in the 2018 FA Cup final against Manchester United. He scored the penalty, which was the winning goal, as Chelsea won 1–0.

Hazard wearing his winner's medal after winning the 2019 UEFA Europa League final with Chelsea

The 2018–19 season was Hazard's final one in England. He started strong, scoring a penalty against Newcastle United. He scored his sixth goal in seven games against Liverpool in the EFL Cup. His great performances in September 2018 earned him another Premier League Player of the Month award. In December, he scored his 100th Chelsea goal and 150th club career goal against Watford.

In May 2019, Hazard scored the winning penalty in a shootout against Eintracht Frankfurt. This sent Chelsea to the Europa League final. He also won the Premier League Playmaker of the Season award for having the most assists. On May 29, Chelsea won the Europa League final 4–1 against Arsenal. Hazard scored two goals and assisted another. After the match, he said he wanted a new challenge. He was included in the FIFA FIFPRO Men's World 11 for 2018 and 2019. He also won every individual Chelsea award that season.

Time at Real Madrid

Challenges and Injuries

Hazard playing for Real Madrid in 2019

On June 7, 2019, La Liga club Real Madrid announced they were signing Hazard. He signed a contract until June 2024. The transfer fee was very high, making him one of Madrid's most expensive players. Hazard said it was his dream to play for Real Madrid. He also mentioned that manager Zinedine Zidane was a big reason for his move.

Hazard made his debut for Real Madrid on September 14, 2019. He scored his first goal for the club on October 5 against Granada. However, he soon suffered a microfracture in his right ankle. This injury caused him to miss many games. He played only 16 league games that season, scoring one goal. Real Madrid won the 2019–20 La Liga title.

In the 2020–21 season, Hazard scored his first goal in over a year in October 2020. He also scored his first Champions League goal for Madrid in November. In May 2021, he apologized after being criticized for laughing with former Chelsea teammates after Real Madrid lost to Chelsea in the Champions League semi-final.

Final Seasons and Retirement

Hazard and Cardinal Carlos Osoro Sierra in 2022

In the 2021–22 season, Hazard faced strong competition for a starting spot. He scored his first goal of the season in January 2022. In March, he had surgery on his right fibula. On April 30, Hazard won his second La Liga title with Real Madrid. In May, he won his first Champions League title, though he did not play in the final.

At the start of the 2022–23 season, Hazard was determined to improve. He assisted a goal and scored his 200th career goal in a Champions League game against Celtic. However, this goal turned out to be his last career goal. He played very few games after that. In March 2023, Hazard said his relationship with his coach had "completely broken down."

On June 3, Real Madrid and Hazard agreed to end his contract early. He left the club after four years. During his time at Madrid, he scored only 7 goals in 76 games. Many people called his transfer "one of the worst ever."

On October 10, 2023, three months after leaving Madrid, Hazard announced his retirement from professional football. He was 32 years old.

International Career

Youth Teams

Hazard played for various Belgian national youth teams. These included the under-17 and under-19 teams. He played 17 games for the under-17 team and scored two goals. He played in the 2007 UEFA European Under-17 Championship, where he scored a penalty. Many people compared him to Belgian football legend Enzo Scifo.

Belgium reached the semi-finals of that tournament. They then qualified for the 2007 FIFA U-17 World Cup in South Korea. Hazard played in all three group games there. He later played for the under-19 team. He scored his first under-19 goal in October 2008.

Senior National Team

Hazard was called up to the Belgium senior team for the first time in November 2008. He was just 17 years old. He became the eighth youngest international player in Belgian history. He later said he felt "99% Belgian" despite living in France for many years.

He made his debut for Belgium in a match against Luxembourg. He came on as a substitute. In August 2009, he made his first start for the national team. In November 2009, he played a full match for the first time and assisted two goals.

On October 7, 2011, nearly three years after his debut, Hazard scored his first international goal. It was against Kazakhstan in a 4–1 victory. This win helped Belgium get closer to qualifying for Euro 2012.

Belgium's Golden Generation

Hazard played in nine games during Belgium's successful 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign, scoring twice. He was named in Belgium's squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He assisted two winning goals in the group stage, helping Belgium reach the knockout stage. Belgium reached the quarter-finals, where they lost to Argentina.

On June 7, 2015, Hazard captained Belgium for the first time in a friendly match. He scored a penalty in a 4–3 win against France. He continued to score important goals in Euro 2016 qualifying. Belgium qualified for the tournament for the first time since co-hosting Euro 2000.

Hazard was named captain of Belgium for UEFA Euro 2016. He scored a solo goal against Hungary. Belgium was later knocked out by Wales in the quarter-finals. He was one of the top assist providers in the tournament.

Hazard playing for Belgium at the 2018 FIFA World Cup

Hazard was captain of Belgium for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. He assisted a goal in the first game against Panama. He then scored two goals against Tunisia. He was chosen as man of the match for his performance. In the knockout stage, Hazard helped Belgium come back from two goals down to beat Japan. He was again named man of the match.

Hazard also played a key role in Belgium's 2–1 win over Brazil in the quarter-finals. He set a World Cup record for successful dribbles in that game. Belgium lost to France in the semi-finals. On July 14, Hazard scored a goal in a 2–0 win against England in the third-place play-off. This secured Belgium's best ever World Cup finish.

After the 2018 World Cup, Hazard was chosen as the second-best player of the tournament. He received the FIFA World Cup Silver Ball. He scored three goals and provided two assists. He was also man of the match in three games, more than any other player.

Hazard earned his 100th cap for Belgium in March 2019. He scored a goal in that match. He captained Belgium to be the first team to qualify for Euro 2020. He played in three games during the tournament and provided an assist.

Retirement from International Football

Hazard played in Belgium's 2022 World Cup qualification campaign. He assisted one goal and scored another. On December 7, 2022, after Belgium was eliminated from the 2022 World Cup group stage, Hazard announced his retirement from the national team. He was 31 years old.

How Eden Hazard Played

Hazard taking on the opposition team's defence while playing for Chelsea in 2012

Hazard mainly played as an attacking midfielder or a winger. Many people called him "possibly the outstanding talent in Europe." At Lille, he often played on the wing and could use both feet. Later, he played more centrally as a creative midfielder.

Two of Hazard's best qualities were his speed and amazing technical skills. His quickness and dribbling ability were incredible. He was also very good at keeping the ball and beating defenders one-on-one. This was helped by his balance and low center of gravity.

At Chelsea, Hazard became a world-class player. He mostly played as a left midfielder. This allowed him to cut inside and shoot with his stronger right foot. His former teammate, Rio Mavuba, described Hazard as "a great player, with an immense talent. He's actually not that big, but he's so fast. He's also very difficult to dispossess and his finishing is top notch."

Hazard was a versatile attacker. He could also play as a second striker, a lone striker, or even a "false-9." Besides his speed and creativity, he was also very good at taking penalties and free kicks.

What People Said About Him

Praising him for his dribbling, creativity and ball retention skills, the FIFA website calls Hazard "difficult to dispossess".

Hazard is considered one of the greatest Belgian players ever. His speed and dribbling led his former coach, Claude Puel, to call him "little Messi," like Lionel Messi. His vision and passing also made him a great playmaker. This allowed him to both score and create goals.

In Belgium, people compared Hazard to former Belgian star Enzo Scifo. They both came from the same town. Former Chelsea player Gianfranco Zola also compared Hazard to himself.

However, some people criticized Hazard's work-rate. But others defended him, saying he was a true competitor who didn't complain.

Life Outside Football

Family Life

Hazard married Natacha Van Honacker in 2012. They have five sons together.

Sponsorships and Games

In 2012, Hazard signed a deal with sportswear company Nike. He appeared in a Nike advert with other famous footballers.

Hazard was featured on the cover of EA Sports' FIFA video game FIFA 15 in several countries. He was later chosen as the new cover star for FIFA 20.

Since 2016, Hazard has appeared in adverts for Lotus Bakeries, promoting their Biscoff biscuits.

Club Ownership

In June 2017, Hazard became a part-owner of a new football team called San Diego 1904 FC. The team started playing in 2018.

Lille's Tribute

On March 10, 2024, Lille OSC honored Hazard by renaming their main training pitch after him. The "Terrain Eden Hazard" (Eden Hazard pitch) was opened by Hazard himself. He was joined by his family, former teammates, and fans. On the same day, he also kicked off a home match and was celebrated by the entire stadium.

Career Statistics

Club Appearances and Goals

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club	Season	League			National cup		League cup		Europe		Other		Total
Club	Season	Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Lille II	2007–08	CFA	11	1	—		—		—		—		11	1
	2008–09	CFA	2	0	—		—		—		—		2	0
	Total		13	1	—		—		—		—		13	1
Lille	2007–08	Ligue 1	4	0	0	0	0	0	—		—		4	0
	2008–09	Ligue 1	30	4	4	2	1	0	—		—		35	6
	2009–10	Ligue 1	37	5	1	0	2	1	12	4	—		52	10
	2010–11	Ligue 1	38	7	5	3	2	2	9	0	—		54	12
	2011–12	Ligue 1	38	20	3	1	1	0	6	0	1	1	49	22
	Total		147	36	13	6	6	3	27	4	1	1	194	50
Chelsea	2012–13	Premier League	34	9	6	1	5	2	13	1	4	0	62	13
	2013–14	Premier League	35	14	3	0	1	0	9	2	1	1	49	17
	2014–15	Premier League	38	14	1	0	6	2	7	3	—		52	19
	2015–16	Premier League	31	4	2	2	1	0	8	0	1	0	43	6
	2016–17	Premier League	36	16	4	1	3	0	—		—		43	17
	2017–18	Premier League	34	12	5	1	4	1	8	3	0	0	51	17
	2018–19	Premier League	37	16	2	0	5	3	8	2	0	0	52	21
	Total		245	85	23	5	25	8	53	11	6	1	352	110
Real Madrid	2019–20	La Liga	16	1	0	0	—		6	0	0	0	22	1
	2020–21	La Liga	14	3	1	0	—		5	1	1	0	21	4
	2021–22	La Liga	18	0	2	1	—		3	0	0	0	23	1
	2022–23	La Liga	6	0	1	0	—		3	1	0	0	10	1
	Total		54	4	4	1	—		17	2	1	0	76	7
Career total			459	126	40	12	31	11	97	17	8	2	635	168

International Appearances and Goals

Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Belgium	2008	1	0
	2009	9	0
	2010	7	0
	2011	8	1
	2012	8	1
	2013	9	3
	2014	12	1
	2015	9	6
	2016	14	5
	2017	5	4
	2018	16	6
	2019	8	5
	2020	0	0
	2021	10	1
	2022	10	0
Total		126	33

Belgium score listed first, score column indicates score after each Hazard goal

List of international goals scored by Eden Hazard
No.	Date	Venue	Cap	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	7 October 2011	King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, Belgium	23	Kazakhstan	4–1	UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying
2	25 May 2012	King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, Belgium	27	Montenegro	2–1	2–2	Friendly
3	6 February 2013	Jan Breydel Stadium, Bruges, Belgium	34	Slovakia	1–0	2–1	Friendly
4	22 March 2013	Philip II National Arena, Skopje, Macedonia	35	Macedonia	2–0	2–0	2014 FIFA World Cup qualification
5	26 March 2013	King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, Belgium	36	Macedonia	1–0	1–0	2014 FIFA World Cup qualification
6	1 June 2014	Friends Arena, Solna, Sweden	45	Sweden	2–0	2–0	Friendly
7	28 March 2015	King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, Belgium	55	Cyprus	4–0	5–0	UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying
8	7 June 2015	Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France	57	France	4–1	4–3	Friendly
9	3 September 2015	King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, Belgium	59	Bosnia and Herzegovina	3–1	3–1	UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying
10	6 September 2015	GSP Stadium, Nicosia, Cyprus	60	Cyprus	1–0	1–0	UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying
11	10 October 2015	Estadi Nacional, Andorra la Vella, Andorra	61	Andorra	3–1	4–1	UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying
12	13 October 2015	King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, Belgium	62	Israel	3–0	3–1	UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying
13	5 June 2016	King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, Belgium	66	Norway	2–2	3–2	Friendly
14	26 June 2016	Stadium de Toulouse, Toulouse, France	70	Hungary	3–0	4–0	UEFA Euro 2016
15	7 October 2016	King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, Belgium	74	Bosnia and Herzegovina	2–0	4–0	2018 FIFA World Cup qualification
16	10 October 2016	Estádio Algarve, Faro/Loulé, Portugal	75	Gibraltar	6–0	6–0	2018 FIFA World Cup qualification
17	13 November 2016	King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, Belgium	77	Estonia	3–0	8–1	2018 FIFA World Cup qualification
18	31 August 2017	Stade Maurice Dufrasne, Liège, Belgium	78	Gibraltar	6–0	9–0	2018 FIFA World Cup qualification
19	10 October 2017	King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, Belgium	81	Cyprus	1–0	4–0	2018 FIFA World Cup qualification
20	10 October 2017	King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, Belgium	81	Cyprus	3–0	4–0	2018 FIFA World Cup qualification
21	10 November 2017	King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, Belgium	82	Mexico	1–0	3–3	Friendly
22	6 June 2018	King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, Belgium	85	Egypt	2–0	3–0	Friendly
23	23 June 2018	Otkritie Arena, Moscow, Russia	88	Tunisia	1–0	5–2	2018 FIFA World Cup
24	23 June 2018	Otkritie Arena, Moscow, Russia	88	Tunisia	4–1	5–2	2018 FIFA World Cup
25	14 July 2018	Krestovsky Stadium, Saint Petersburg, Russia	92	England	2–0	2–0	2018 FIFA World Cup
26	7 September 2018	Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland	93	Scotland	2–0	4–0	Friendly
27	11 September 2018	Laugardalsvöllur, Reykjavík, Iceland	94	Iceland	1–0	3–0	2018–19 UEFA Nations League A
28	21 March 2019	King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, Belgium	99	Russia	2–1	3–1	UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying
29	21 March 2019	King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, Belgium	99	Russia	3–1	3–1	UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying
30	24 March 2019	GSP Stadium, Nicosia, Cyprus	100	Cyprus	1–0	2–0	UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying
31	16 November 2019	Krestovsky Stadium, Saint Petersburg, Russia	105	Russia	2–0	4–1	UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying
32	16 November 2019	Krestovsky Stadium, Saint Petersburg, Russia	105	Russia	3–0	4–1	UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying
33	5 September 2021	King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, Belgium	113	Czech Republic	2–0	3–0	2022 FIFA World Cup qualification