In a recent statement, former Chelsea and Real Madrid star expressed the belief that he possesses greater talent than Ronaldo.

After continuous injuries and being released from his contract with Real Madrid, Eden Hazard announced his retirement in the summer of 2023. This decision saddened fans as he was once expected to become a superstar of the generation following Ronaldo and Messi.

Recently, when asked about the two world-class players mentioned above, Hazard candidly shared that Ronaldo surpasses him only in terms of fame: ‘Cristiano is more famous than me, but in terms of pure footballing ability, I sincerely don’t think so. Neymar could be a different case. Overall, I believe he is not better than me in terms of talent.’ Hazard stated to L’Equipe.

However, Hazard still holds great respect for Messi: ‘Personally, Messi is the greatest in history. It’s truly impossible to take the ball away from him. I enjoyed watching him play when he was with Barca, though less so later on. At that time, I really loved watching his matches.’

Hazard’s statements have sparked controversy, especially considering Ronaldo is still performing at a high level and consistently scoring goals, while Hazard retired from his career at the age of 32.

Additionally, Eden Hazard also shared that Real Madrid was not a suitable fit for him, despite being a fan of Zinedine Zidane and always dreaming of playing for the Spanish royal team: ‘I admire Zidane and am attracted by the allure of Bernabeu. However, when I arrived in Madrid, I realized that it didn’t suit me here.’

The former Belgian player explained: ‘Real Madrid is a bit flashy, and I don’t like that. It doesn’t match my personality. The team’s style of play also doesn’t suit me compared to other clubs. However, wearing the Real shirt is my dream, and I don’t want to end my career without playing here.’