Chelsea Legend Eden Hazard Announces Retirement

Eden Hazard, a legend in Chelsea Football Club who most recently played for Real Madrid, has retired at age 32. The Belgian winger announced his retirement with a post on his personal Instagram account.

“You must listen to yourself and say stop at the right time,” he says in the caption. “After 16 years and more than 700 matches played, I have decided to end my career as a professional footballer.”

Eden Hazard Retires

Hazard goes on to reassure everyone that he has been able to realize his dream as a footballer during his career. “I have played and had fun on many pitches around the world,” he says.

The Chelsea legend also took the time to thank the managers, teammates, and clubs that he has played for and with. He likewise thanked his family, friends, and fans for the immense support he has received through the years.

“Now is the time to enjoy my loved ones and have new experiences,” he said in closing. “See you off the field soon my friends.”

Chelsea Wishes Hazard a Happy Retirement

While he played for clubs such as Lille and Real Madrid, Eden Hazard made his mark during his time with Chelsea.

He moved to the English club in 2012 and went on to make 352 appearances. During those appearances, he managed to score a total of 110 goals for the Blues, according to the BBC.

Often described as one of Chelsea’s greats, the club paid tribute to their former player on social media. The Blues called him “one of the greatest to play the game.”

“His superpower was to move it with such precision, an ability to sneak through the tiniest of gaps, the little hole in the fence that only he could spot,” Chelsea says in a series of tweets on X (formerly Twitter). “Defenders would catch his eye, pause for breath, before he is gone once more – a shadow they think they saw in the mirror.”

You can read a part of Chelsea’s tribute to Eden Hazard below:

These were defining moments, memories that will carry on flickering away on endless replays in the back of our minds forever.

And that is how the Eden Hazard legacy will remain. In our minds, forever.

Happy retirement, to one of Chelsea’s greatest ever players. pic.twitter.com/3lwRVFpixL

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) October 10, 2023