31-year-old Belgium playmaker Eden Hazard has announced his retirement from international football following Belgium’s World Cup exit.
Eden Hazard featured in all three fixtures for Belgium in the 2022 Qatar World Cup. The Real Madrid forward failed to score for Belgium in Group F. Belgium were third in the group, behind Morocco and Croatia, who have since progressed to the quarter-finals.
Hazard confirmed the message on Instagram with the caption, “A page turns today… Thank you for your love. Thank you for your unparalleled support. Thank you for all this happiness shared since 2008. I have decided to put an end to my international career. The succession is ready. I will miss you…”
In 126 appearances between 2008 and 2022, Eden Hazard registered 33 goals but will now focus on rejuvenating his Real Madrid career. Hazard made his debut for the ‘Red Devils’ against Luxembourg as a 17-year-old and went on to feature at three World Cups and two European Championships, as well as captaining the team 56 times.
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Het Laatste Nieuws, a Belgian newspaper reported that Hazard had made the decision known to his teammate following the aftermath of their World Cup exit in the final game against Croatia.
Since joining Real Madrid, Hazard has won two LaLiga titles and the Champions League but hardly played a significant role. He has only six appearances for Real Madrid this season.
Belgium Manager Roberto Martinez had also stepped down on Thursday following their exit, signaling an end to Belgium’s ‘Golden Generation’.
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