Hazard was the show’s top performer, wearing the number 10 shirt for Le Varietes Club de France versus Team Calais. The former Chelsea and Real Madrid winger, 32, announced his retirement from the game on October 10 after several months as a free agent.
Hazard discusses his choice to retire.
“You must listen to yourself and say stop at the right time,” Hazard stated on Instagram. “After 16 years and over 700 matches, I have decided to call it quits as a professional footballer.” I was able to realize my ambition by playing and having fun on numerous pitches around the world. Thank you for these wonderful memories; I will miss you all.”
Other former stars played in the charity match
However, there will be managers and sporting directors wondering if they might be able to tempt Hazard out of retirement following his eye-catching display in a charity game also featuring the likes of Robert Pires, Didier Deschamps, Ludovic Giuly and Yohan Cabaye. It’s patently clear that the Belgian is still capable of producing magical moments, despite falling out of love with the professional game.
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“I always said that I would stop playing as soon as I no longer had fun on the field,” Hazard told L’Avenir, per Fabrizio Romano. “I didn’t want to go play somewhere for the money. I didn’t enjoy training… and I didn’t play anymore. The decision was simple.”
Hazard isn’t the first superstar to retire at a relatively young age but most football fans will just be glad to see him back on the pitch, playing with a smile on his face again, even in a charity match. Magnificent during his seven-year spell with Chelsea, Hazard joined Spanish giants Real Madrid in 2019 for an initial €100 million fee and was expected to take his game to a new level at the Bernabeu. However, a series of untimely injuries limited Hazard to just 76 appearances for Los Blancos over four seasons.
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