He has been one of the standout players at this World Cup and he will be looking to add a World Cup title to his much-coveted trophy cabinet.
Belgium winger Eden Hazard (Photo: AFP)
As Belgium gear up for their semi-final clash against France, it will be a very emotional match for Belgium’s captain Eden Hazard, who shares a very close relationship with France.
Hazard was born in Belgium and brought up in a small town near the France-Belgium border called Braine-le-comte. Both his mother and father were semi-professional footballers who had three sons and made sure that all three of them also take up the game.
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At 4, Hazard joined his hometown club “Royal Stade Brainois” and played there for eight years where his coaches described him as “gifted” player.
He joined Tubize FC when he was 12 and continued to impress there. Hazard finally got his big breakthrough when he was 14 and was spotted by Lille’s scouts while playing at a local tournament. The scout prompted Lille to sign him up immediately and the club officials met his parents.
His parents were initially hesitant about sending their young child away to France but since they were themselves former footballers, they understood how important this was for the growth of young Eden.
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Hazard finally made his breakthrough move in 2005 when he moved to Lille’s youth setup and played for their youth team. in 2007, he signed his first professional contract – a three year deal with Lille.
He was promoted to Lille’s reserve team for the 2007-08 season at the age of just 16, while he was still playing for the Under-18’s. He scored his first professional goal during the 2008-09 season and continued to move up the ranks with his stellar performances.
Owing to his exceptional performances for the past few seasons, Hazard finally took a step ahead as he joined Chelsea in 2012 for £32 million before being subject of a bidding war between Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea.
Hazard did not stop at Chelsea as he continued to shame the premier league defenders. He became famous for his excellent dribbling ability and his low sense of gravity. He has an eye for the goal and amazing vision as well.
In his debut season at Chelsea, he scored 13 goals in all competitions and won the UEFA Europa league with them. Slowly and steadily, his name was being taken alongside Premier league’s elite players.
He won the Premier League twice with Chelsea in 2015 and 2017 and was also given the number 10 jersey at Chelsea. He also won the PFA player of the season in 2015 which resulted in him being compared to the likes of Messi and Ronaldo.
It took Hazard a while to become one of the best player’s in the World but he made sure that he stayed at the top once he reached there. He has been one of the standout players at this World Cup and he will be looking to add a World Cup title to his much-coveted trophy cabinet.
With just a few hours for the match to start, can the boy from Belgium beat his childhood favorites France and bring joy to millions of Belgium fans. who have never known the joy of winning a World Cup.
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