Eden Hazard

Eden Hazard of Belgium gestures after the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group F match between Croatia and Belgium at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium on December 1, 2022 in Doha, Qatar. Belgium captain Eden Hazard announced his retirement from international soccer aged 31 on Wednesday (Dec 7) after his second-ranked team’s World Cup campaign ended in a disappointing group stage exit. Hazard, the anchor of Belgium’s “golden generation”, played in all three games but did not score as Belgium beat Canada, lost to Morocco and had to settle for a goalless draw with Croatia to finish third in Group F. The forward made his senior debut in 2008 and scored 33 times in 126 appearances. He guided Belgium to their best World Cup finish at the 2018 tournament in Russia, when they came third. “I have decided to p...

Eden Hazard of Real Madrid CF reacts during the LaLiga Santander match between Real Madrid CF and Cadiz CF at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on November 10, 2022 in Madrid, Spain. In a press conference on Monday while on international duty with the Belgian National Team, Real Madrid winger Eden Hazard spoke to reporters about the difficult season he’s had so far, and his desire to continue at the Spanish capital. “I don’t want to leave Real Madrid. Maybe my situation will change after the World Cup,” Hazard told the media. “I want to play but it’s the manager who makes his choices. I accept, but I want to show him that I deserve to play more. When you don’t play it’s difficult.” Hazard also explained that while he understands why the “outside world” doubts him, he doesn’t doubt himself. “...

Belgium’s Hazard quits internationals after World Cup exit

Hazard: “I want to play but it’s the manager who makes his choices.”