"All the real fans of this beautiful sport enjoyed watching you" - Manchester United star sends heartfelt message to Eden Hazard after his retirement
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes sent a heartfelt message to Eden Hazard on his Instagram story after the latter announced his retirement earlier today (October 10).
Hazard had been a free agent for three months, after having his contract with Real Madrid mutually terminated on June 3, 2023. Many fans hoped he would be able to reinvent himself at a different club but the 32-year-old decided to call time on his 16-year professional career.
The Chelsea legend posted the following on his Instagram page:
"You must listen to yourself and say stop at the right time. After 16 years and more than 700 matches played, I have decided to end my career as a professional footballer. I was able to realize my dream, I have played and had fun on many pitches around the world."
"During my career I was lucky to meet great managers, coaches and teammates - thank you to everyone for these great times, I will miss you all."
He added:
"I also want to thank the clubs I have played for: LOSC, Chelsea, and Real Madrid; and thank the RBFA for my Belgian Selection. A special thank you to my family, my friends, my advisors, and the people who have been close to me in good times and bad.
Finally, a huge thank you to you, my fans, who have followed me for all these years and for your encouragement everywhere I have played. Now is the time to enjoy my loved ones and have new experiences. See you off the field soon my friends."
Bruno Fernandes paid tribute to Eden Hazard by reposting his retirement post, captioning it:
"Thanks for all the good moments you gave to the world of football. All the real fans of this beautiful sport enjoyed watching you."
Eden Hazard also retired from international football on December 7, 2022, after Belgium crashed out of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in the group stage. He made 126 appearances for his national team, scoring 33 goals.
How good was Eden Hazard at Chelsea?
Eden Hazard joined Chelsea in the summer of 2012 after making a name for himself in Lille. The former Belgium international went on to establish himself as one of the best wingers to ever grace the Premier League over the next seven years.
The 32-year-old scored 110 goals and provided 92 assists in 352 appearances across all competitions. He helped the Blues win six major trophies, including two Premier League titles.
Hazard opted to chase his dream by joining La Liga giants Real Madrid in 2019 for a mammoth transfer fee of €100 million. Unfortunately, he struggled with fitness issues and injuries, which limited him to just seven goals and 12 assists in 76 appearances over the next four years.