The captain of the Belgian national team, Eden Hazardannounced this Wednesday the end of his career in the national team after the prompt and unexpected elimination of the ‘Red Devils’ in the World Cup in Qatar, after enjoying “so much happiness since 2008.”
«Today I turn the page. Thanks for your love. Thank you for your unparalleled support. Thank you for all the happy moments we have shared since 2008. I have decided to end my career as an international. The next generation is ready. I’m going to miss you a lot…”, wrote the Real Madrid player in a message on social networks.
The midfielder, who will turn 32 in January, has accumulated 126 appearances with the Belgian national team, in which he converted 33 goals and gave 36 assists. Some figures to take into account that did not prevent him from reaching this World Cup with many doubts, although the coach, Roberto Martínez, trusted his hierarchy and started the first two games in Qatar.
However, he only played four minutes in the last and decisive match of the group stage, which confirmed the disappointing tournament for the Belgians with a 0-0 defeat against Croatia.
The so-called ‘Red Devils’, third in the 2018 World Cup in Russia, now face a forced renewal, now without Roberto Martínez on the bench and with a divided and overly long-lived squad.
The news immediately found an echo in the Belgian media, which confirmed that “it is the end of an era”. This is how the website of the newspaper La Dernière Heures / Les Sports headlined this Wednesday about the withdrawal of one of the most important members of the so-called Belgian ‘golden generation’.
Before him, Vincent Kompany retired at the age of 32 in 2018 after the World Cup in which Belgium finished third. The best result in its history. Now Hazard’s announcement can be imitated by other players of the selection also entered in years. Although the goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois (30 years old), Eden’s teammate at Real Madrid, assured that he would continue, other heavyweights such as Kevin De Bruyne (31) or Romelu Lukaku (29) have not expressed themselves at the moment.
Trained at Lille before moving to Chelsea (where he spent between 2012 and 2019) and Real Madrid, Hazard made his international debut in November 2008 against Luxembourg, when he was just 17 years old.
His last game, therefore, will be on December 1 against Croatia (0-0), when he came on in the 82nd minute to try to avoid elimination. A goalless draw prevented Belgium from qualifying for the round of 16.
Already at the end of this duel, Hazard expressed his doubts about the future of his international career, saying that he was going on vacation and that he was going to reflect on it.
The winger has played very little for Real Madrid over the last three seasons, but he was counting on the Qatari appointment to show that “he wasn’t finished”. «With the rhythm of the matches I will recover my level. I haven’t gotten bad in a few months,” he assured.
From star to inconsequential
His World Cup, like that of his team, can be considered a failure. Hazard, who played just over 130 minutes in games against Canada (1-0), Morocco (0-2) and Croatia, was never decisive or helped Belgium through the group stage.
Although his career with the national team, of which he has been captain since Euro 2016, ends without a major trophy, Hazard should leave a legacy of fond memories for Belgian fans. His excellent performance against Brazil in the quarterfinals of the 2018 World Cup in Russia is one of the reasons why he was chosen the second best player of the tournament, only behind the Croatian Luka Modric.
Several of his colleagues reacted on social networks. His teammate Thibaut Courtois wrote her two emoticons (a heart and a tear) to express her feelings.
After the elimination of Belgium, the ex-international Philippe Albert, now a commentator on the RTBF, assured that Eden Hazard was “the best Belgian of all time”. “It would be sad if football fans only remember Eden’s failed transfer to Real and his last international appointments to the detriment of his great talent,” he added.
