Former Chelsea winger Eden Hazard, has officially retired from professional football at the age of 32.
Hazard made a high-profile move to Real Madrid from Chelsea in 2019 for a transfer fee of £89 million.
However, his time at the Spanish club was marked by limited appearances, with only 54 league games played during his tenure and left last season.
“You must listen to yourself and say stop at the right time,” said Hazard, who has been a free agent since his contract was terminated in June.
Read Also: Man City vs Arsenal: Why Kyle Walker Confronted Arsenal Coach at Full Time
“After 16 years and more than 700 matches played, I have decided to end my career as a professional footballer,” he added.
Eden Hazard had previously retired from international football in December last year, following his involvement with the squad that suffered an early exit from the 2022 World Cup group stage.
At Real Madrid, Hazard won the champions league a Club World Cup, a European Super Cup, two La Liga titles, one Copa del Rey and two Spanish Super Cups.
However, his time in Spain is generally regarded as disappointing as he managed to score only 7 goals in 76 appearances across all competitions.
On their website, Chelsea referred to him as “one of the all-time greats in Chelsea’s history” and extended a warm welcome for his return to Stamford Bridge anytime.
The Belgian kicked off his career with the French club Lille where he netted 50 goals in 149 appearances.
He played a pivotal role in the club’s domestic double triumph in Ligue 1 and the Coupe de France at the 2010-11 season.
Read Also: Barcelona: Xavi’s Injury Woes Deepen Ahead of EL Clasico
Hazard joined Chelsea in 2012 and established himself as a club legend, and was PFA Player of the Year in the 2014-15 season.
He showcased his scoring prowess by netting a total of 110 goals during his 352 appearances for the Blues.
Notably, he sealed his Chelsea journey with a memorable winner in the 2019 Europa League final against Arsenal.
In his international debut Hazard earned 126 Belgium caps and scored 33 goals.He went on and represented his nation in three World Cups and two European Championships and he also had the honor of captaining the team on 56 occasions.
His farewell message read, “A special thank you to my family, my friends, my advisors and the people who have been close to me in good times and bad. Finally, a huge thank you to you, my fans, who have followed me for all these years and for your encouragement everywhere I have played. Now is the time to enjoy my loved ones and have new experiences. See you off the field soon my friends.”
He now joins the ranks of Thierry Henry, Matt Le Tissier and Eric Cantona as players who have achieved the remarkable feat of to score 15 or more goals and provide 15 or more assists in a season.
Subcribe to Switch TV for more exciting content
