Injuries are some of the hardest things to deal with as a football player, they are not only difficult to deal with physically but mentally as well. It takes a lot of mental strength to work through a spell on the sidelines and come back strong.
Eden Hazard’s time at Real Madrid is one of the most prominent examples of how injuries can really hamper players. The Belgian has struggled for fitness ever since arriving at the Spanish capital. His performances for Real Madrid, or lack, thereof, have made him look like a shadow of his former self.
Hazard was openly hailed as the best player in the Premier League during his final years at Chelsea, and has been one of Real Madrid’s worst since moving to his ‘dream club’.
Here is a list of the number of games the winger has missed due to injury:
- Hamstring – four games missed
- Ankle – three games missed
- Ankle – three games missed
- Foot – 17 games missed
- Hamstring – three games missed
- Ankle – six games missed
- Thigh – ongoing
It is unlikely that we will see Eden Hazard before 2021, due to his latest thigh problem, and it is probably time that Real Madrid have started questioning their decision of spending 160 million Euros for the player.
What’s even sadder is the fact that the Belgian was deemed to be a future Ballon d’Or winner with his move to Real Madrid. However, in truth, he has never been further from the honour. The former Chelsea player did manage to make a return to the pitch this season, but it was cut off with another thigh problem for all his troubles.
As fans of football, we can only hope that things get better for Hazard and that he can rediscover his best form at Madrid. On his day, he is right up there with the greatest players in the world, but things have not been going according to plan for him in the last year. Hopefully, 2021 brings better things for Madrid.
