Hazard beats Giroud and Jovic to UEFA Europa League Player of the Year award
Eden Hazard has been named the UEFA Europa League Player of the Year for 2018-19, after leading Chelsea to the trophy.
Hazard scored twice in Chelsea's 4-1 victory over Premier League rivals Arsenal in May's final in Baku, his only goals in Europe's second-tier competition last term.
His double proved to be his final Chelsea goals, with the Belgium forward moving to Real Madrid in the off season.
The 28-year-old overcame competition from former team-mate Olivier Giroud, top scorer in last season's Europa League with 11 goals, and current Madrid club-mate Luka Jovic, who helped Eintracht Frankfurt to the semi-finals, where they were beaten by Chelsea.
@hazardeden10 pic.twitter.com/UGbGZEBDuX
— UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) August 30, 2019
"Thank you to everyone who voted for me and I'd like to wish everybody playing in the Europa League good luck," Hazard said in a video interview broadcast ahead of the draw for this season's group stage in Monaco.