Real Madrid winger Vinicius Jr has labelled Aston Villa transfer target, Eden Hazard, a ‘legend’ after he announced his retirement from international football.
Belgium were knocked out of the group stages of the Qatar World Cup – and it seems to be the last straw on the international stage for Hazard.
The 31-year-old shared on Instagram that ‘a page turns today’ because he has decided to ‘put to an end my international career’.
Hazard played 126 times for Belgium on the international stage, scoring 33 goals and supplying 36 assists in the colours of his country – reaching the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup in Russia, where he was perhaps the best player in the tournament.
But when the former Chelsea man announced that he will no longer be seen on football’s biggest stage again, he received many warm messages in the comments section of his IG post.
Real Madrid legend Marcelo called him an ‘icon’, whilst Brazil’s rising star Vinicius Jr told him that he is a ‘legend’.
WHAT NEXT FOR HAZARD?
This isn’t Hazard hanging up his boots because of Belgium’s recent downfall, but just the sheer number of injuries he has had to deal with over the years.
That has taken its toll on his body because he has gone from being one of the best players at the 2018 World Cup to one of the underperformers at this current winter World Cup.
But what next for the Real Madrid star? Perhaps a return to the Premier League? There are rumours that Unai Emery’s Aston Villa are keen to take him on board.
Let’s be honest, if Hazard was at the top of his game, then Villa wouldn’t be signing him, nor would he head towards that direction, it’s his decline that has brought about these rumours and that should be enough to warn the Midlands giants to stay away.
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