Eden Hazard 'considering retirement at just 32' after Real Madrid departure

Eden Hazard is considering retiring from football after leaving Real Madrid, it has been claimed.

Once lauded as one of the greatest players in the world, Hazard moved to Real for £100million in 2019 after a seven-year spell at Chelsea where he racked up 352 appearances and claimed 110 goals and 92 assists.

Indeed, the forward won the Premier League and Europa League twice apiece and picked up four Player of the Year awards while with the Blues.

However, the Belgian struggled to make much of an impact with Los Blancos. He was restricted to just 54 league appearances across an injury-riddled four-year spell and netted just seven times across all competitions.

Having ended his Real contract prematurely, Hazard looked set to join Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba at Inter Miami or return to his native Belgium.

However, Spanish publication AS has claimed the 32-year-old has rejected an offer from Miami and is considering hanging up his boots given the toll injuries have taken on his body.

The publication added that Hazard and his family are settled in Madrid and do not want to leave the Spanish capital.

Last term Hazard announced his retirement from international football, bowing out after Belgium’s disappointing World Cup group stage exit.

Hazard’s time at Madrid did not go as expected from a personal perspective, though he was still part of a squad that won two La Liga titles, the Champions League and the Copa del Rey.

However, Hazard has become a cautionary tale for incoming Galacticos.

Upon Real securing an £88.5million move for Jude Bellingham from Borussia Dortmund, Los Blancos midfielder Toni Kroos warned that another big-money signing had already “let their career die” at the club, with Hazard thought to be the player being referenced.

“We had another player who came for a lot of money and basically let his career die,” he insisted on his podcast Einfach mal Luppen.

“It was a lot of money, I think everyone would say that wasn't a good transfer. But let's be positive.”

Topics: Football, Chelsea, Lille, Real Madrid, Eden Hazard, Inter Miami

Chris Byfield

Sport journalist with experience writing on football, rugby, boxing and the Olympics. I'm also a Crystal Palace fan. Please don't hold this against me.