Eden Hazard’s Reunion with Ball Catcher Charlie Morgan: A Story of Friendship and Success

Eden Hazard reunites with a ball catcher whom he attacked ten years later

In a singular twist of fate and time, Eden Hazard, who in October last year announced his retirement from professional football at the age of 32 after leaving Real Madrid, has made use of digital platforms to show that the problems within the field can become friendships outside of it.

In his last publication on social networks, the former Belgian footballer gave his followers an image full of history, accompanying the photo with some thoughtful words: “The good thing about retirement is catching up with old friends. You have come a long way my friend”, showing a smile and a drink in hand next to the young Englishman.

This is not just any friend, but Charlie Morgan, who gained unexpected fame during a League Cup match exactly a decade ago. The incident that brought them together occurred at the Liberty Stadium, in a tense confrontation between Swansea and Chelsea in 2013. The London team, needing to reverse a 0-2 deficit, found that in the 78th minute, already with a scoreless score , Morgan, then a ball catcher and son of Martin Morgan, Swansea manager, hindered the quick continuation of the match by throwing himself at the ball.

The response of the Belgian, who was close to the scene, was an unfortunate kick to try to recover the ball, accidentally hitting Charlie in the ribs, a fact that culminated in his own expulsion and further damaging the aspirations of his team, which finally would see Swansea reach the final and lift the trophy after beating Bradford City 5-0.

Curiously, Morgan’s behavior was not a coincidence, but an action previously hinted at on the social network Twitter, where he announced: “The king of ball catchers returns for an exhibition of how to waste time.” Despite the altercation, the outcome between the two was conciliatory. Hazard immediately apologized to the young man after the attack, extending his apologies to the Chelsea locker room and later, to the public. “The boy put his body on the ball. I was trying to hit the ball, not him. I’m sorry,” he said at a press conference.

Over the years, that incident faded and for Charlie Morgan it became an anecdote on the sidelines of a successful business career, thanks to the development of a venture that would culminate in a renowned vodka brand, elevating him to millionaire status. According to data published by The Times in May 2023, Morgan is among the 35 wealthiest young people under 35 in the United Kingdom, with a personal fortune of 55 million pounds (almost 70 million dollars).

“Charlie Morgan founded his premium gold-filtered vodka brand in 2015 with his best friend from school, 30-year-old Jackson Quinn. Since then, they have grown to 52 employees at their Swansea, UK headquarters, and are expanding into the US, where they have signed a deal with distributor RNDC. They have sold more than 1.6 million bottles (or three bottles per minute). In 2022, Au Vodka reported $53 million in revenue with a profit of $15 million,” detailed the specialized magazine Forbes.

The recent photograph, which both Hazard and Morgan shared on Instagram, shows them toasting with the drink in question, symbolizing not only a meeting point but also the evolution of their respective lives since then. “Reuniting with an old friend,” are the words with which Morgan sealed the post.

Regarding the career of the former captain of the Belgian National Team, the attacking midfielder put an end to it after 747 games played as a professional, 621 for the club and another 126 with his country, among which he won two Spanish Leagues (Real Madrid ), two Premier League (Chelsea), two Spanish Super Cups and a Cup at the local level, while at the international level they won a Champions League, two Europa Leagues, a European Super Cup and a Club World Cup.

2024-01-25 13:50:00
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