Eden Hazard has no regrets over 'dream' Real Madrid move

By Darren Plant, Senior Reporter | 19 March 2024

Eden Hazard says that he has no regrets over leaving Chelsea for Real Madrid, even though the transfer failed to live up to expectations.

Eden Hazard has insisted that he has no regrets over making the move to Real Madrid from Chelsea.

Between 2012 and 2019, Hazard cemented himself as one of the greatest players in Chelsea's history, contributing 110 goals and 92 assists from 352 appearances in all competitions.

Two Premier League titles and two Europa League trophies were also won during that time, but the Belgium international always had the ambition of representing Los Blancos.

A transfer that had the potential to rise to €146.1m was completed in June 7, with the expectation being that Hazard would take his career to greater heights, but the switch proved disastrous for all concerned.

Real Madrid's Eden Hazard in action with Elche's Johan Mojica on January 22, 2022 © Reuters

Just 30 of Hazard's 76 appearances across a four-year period were from the starting lineup in La Liga fixtures and much of his stint at the club was spent on the substitutes' bench or on the sidelines.

As a result, at just the age of 32, Hazard opted to retire from professional football last year, citing the amount of injuries that he had suffered as his main reason.

On Monday night, it was announced that Hazard would be making a return to Stamford Bridge, this time to represent World XI FC against England for the 2024 edition of Soccer Aid.

Speaking ahead of his appearance in that game in the summer, Hazard has reiterated that he fulfilled 'a dream' of playing in the colours of Real, even if the move did not work out.

Real Madrid's Eden Hazard pictured on November 6, 2021 © Reuters

Hazard told The Independent: "It was my dream, I can tell you. Even if the story was not that good, we all know injuries and this and that, but when you look back you can see some pictures of me wearing the Real Madrid shirt and it was something I am really proud of."

When pushed on whether he could have kick-started his career elsewhere, rather than retire, Hazard added: "That's a good question, who knows? I think so, but my time playing football was over, I had a lot of injuries, so no regrets."

Frank Lampard - Hazard's former Chelsea teammate - will be in the opposite dugout, co-managing the England side alongside Harry Redknapp.

Hazard could have worked under Lampard at Chelsea had he not left the West Londoners at the same time as the club legend returned to replace Maurizio Sarri in the dugout.