Eden Hazard: Career, Retirement, and Life After Football

Full name: Eden Michael Walter Lucien Hazard ·
Born: 7 January 1991, La Louvière, Belgium ·
Primary positions: Left winger, attacking midfielder ·
Chelsea appearances: 352 ·
Chelsea goals: 110 ·
Real Madrid tenure: 2019–2023

Seven fast facts that frame the most striking contrast in modern football — a player who dominated England but never fully arrived in Spain.

Why did Eden Hazard retire so early?

Injury history that shortened his career

Hazard announced his retirement from professional football on 10 October 2023, at age 32, after 16 years and more than 700 matches played (BBC Sport). He described the decision as one to “listen to yourself and say stop at the right time.” The immediate cause was plain: his body had stopped cooperating.

At Real Madrid, Hazard reportedly suffered 18 separate injuries across four seasons, totaling 498 days out and 77 missed games (90min analysis). Another analysis placed the count at 14 injuries and 68 missed matches (Football Devils). Even the lower estimate paints a clear picture: Hazard was unavailable for about half of his Madrid tenure.

Public statements about his decision

In his retirement announcement, Hazard made no secret of the toll. He said he had decided “to listen to yourself and say stop at the right time” (BBC Sport). His Real Madrid contract had already been terminated in June 2023, months before the announcement — a mutual parting after both sides recognized the experiment had failed.

“Listen to yourself and say stop at the right time.”

— Eden Hazard, via BBC Sport

The implication: Hazard’s retirement was not a shock — it was the logical end of a four-year physical decline that no amount of talent could reverse.

What is Eden Hazard doing now?

Post-football business and ambassador roles

Since retiring, Hazard has taken on a brand ambassador role with Stake, the online casino and sportsbook platform. The role is listed on his public profiles, though the service is restricted in Spain and Belgium — his two home countries (Eden Hazard Verified Instagram). He also appeared in a Chelsea FC Hall of Fame induction ceremony, signaling he remains connected to his former club’s brand.

Family life and current residence

According to recent interviews, Hazard lives between Belgium and Spain, maintaining property in both countries. He has four children with his wife Natacha Van Honacker. He has not taken any coaching role, club management position, or media punditry job as of 2025. In interviews, he has hinted that he is enjoying a quieter life away from the spotlight.

The trade-off: Hazard chose family and freedom over the relentless demands of coaching or punditry. Whether that will change remains one of the few open questions about his post-retirement life.

Why did Eden Hazard fail at Real Madrid?

Weight and fitness controversies

The narrative around Hazard’s Madrid spell was poisoned from the start by press photos showing him arriving for pre-season overweight. While the exact number of extra kilograms was never confirmed, multiple Spanish outlets reported that Real Madrid’s medical staff flagged his condition repeatedly.

The slide was dramatic.

Comparison with Chelsea form

At Chelsea, Hazard was practically unplayable. He left the club with 110 goals and 81 assists in all competitions (BBC Sport). Chelsea’s official site called him a “true one-off” after his retirement and inducted him into the Premier League Hall of Fame alongside Petr Cech, John Terry, Ashley Cole, Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba (Chelsea FC).

“A true one-off.”

— Chelsea FC

At Madrid, that player never showed up. BBC described his Real Madrid spell as a “miserable loop” of injuries and frustration (BBC Sport).

“A miserable loop.”

— BBC Sport

The catch: Hazard’s Madrid failure was not about ability — it was about availability. The player himself admitted as much when he chose retirement over another recovery cycle.

What is Eden Hazard’s best season?

2014–15 Premier League season

Hazard won the PFA Players’ Player of the Year in 2014–15, the same season Chelsea won the Premier League and League Cup double. He scored 14 goals and provided 9 assists in the league, often single-handedly breaking down low-block defenses. His dribbling success rate that season was among the highest in Europe (Chelsea FC contextual profile).

2018–19 final Chelsea season

His absolute peak came in 2018–19: 21 goals and 17 assists in all competitions (BBC Sport). He won the PFA Players’ Player of the Year for the second time (Chelsea FC), becoming one of only a handful of players to win the award twice. He also scored two goals in the Europa League final against Arsenal (BBC Sport), his last act in a Chelsea shirt.

The pattern: Hazard’s best season coincided with peak physical condition and full tactical trust. Once either faded, so did the magic.

Did Hazard win a Ballon d’Or?

Highest Ballon d’Or finish

Hazard never won the Ballon d’Or. His best finish was 8th place in 2015, the year after he helped Chelsea win the Premier League (Wikipedia). In 2019 — after his 21-goal, 17-assist season — he finished 8th again (Wikipedia). He never cracked the top five.

Trophies won instead

What he lacked in individual silverware, he made up for in team trophies: two Premier League titles, two Europa League titles, a Champions League (with Madrid, though his contribution was minimal), a La Liga title, and one Ligue 1 title with Lille (Chelsea FC).

• 2× Premier League champion (2014–15, 2016–17)
• 1× Champions League winner (2021–22, with Real Madrid)
• 2× Europa League winner (2012–13, 2018–19)
• 1× La Liga champion (2021–22)
• 1× Ligue 1 champion (2010–11)

The implication: Hazard never reached the Ballon d’Or podium, but his trophy cabinet is fuller than most of the players who did. The trade-off is clear — individual recognition versus team glory, and he chose the latter, even if not by design.

Eden Hazard: Career Timeline

• January 2007: Senior debut for Lille at age 16 (Wikipedia)
• May 2011: Won Ligue 1 title with Lille (Wikipedia)
• June 2012: Transferred to Chelsea for €35 million (Wikipedia)
• 2014–2015 season: PFA Player of the Year, won Premier League and League Cup (Chelsea FC)
• 2018–2019 season: Best individual season: 21 goals, 17 assists, won Europa League (BBC Sport)
• June 2019: Transferred to Real Madrid for €100 million (BBC Sport)
• October 2023: Announced retirement from professional football (BBC Sport)
• 2025 (present): Works as brand ambassador, resides in Belgium (Eden Hazard Verified Instagram)

The pattern: the same talent that made Hazard a Chelsea legend also made his Madrid decline impossible to ignore.

Frequently asked questions

The pattern: the questions that surround Hazard’s career are about why the magic disappeared, not whether it existed.