Eden Hazard has officially announced his retirement from professional football, after leaving Real Madrid upon the expiry of his contract. The former Chelsea and Lille winger previously denied rumours of retiring, with his entourage revealing that he had several offers to continue playing.

But in his statement, he revealed that he decided to listen to his body after being plagued by injuries over the last four years. The 32-year-old was widely considered the best of his generation, and was expected to compete for the Ballon d’Or following his big money move to Real Madrid from Chelsea in 2019.

However, fate would have it otherwise with constant injuries limiting his playing time and ultimately accelerating the end of his career.

Eden Hazard retires from football aged 32

Eden Hazard's exit from Real Madrid has become imminent — credits – sportklub.hr

During his seven-year spell with Chelsea, he earned a reputation as the best player in the Premier League with his skills and eye for goal. He scored 110 goals and provided 92 assists for the Blues in 352 games across all competitions, winning two Premier League titles, two Europa League titles as well as the FA and EFL Cup.

Over four years at Real Madrid, he was restricted to a mere 76 appearances across all competitions, scoring only seven goals and providing 12 assists. In spite of his limited contributions on the pitch, he won the 2022 Champions League, two LaLiga titles, the UEFA Super Cup, FIFA Club World Cup, as well as the Copa del Rey and Spanish Supercopa.

Fans will forever be left wondering how things could have turned out for both Eden Hazard and Chelsea had he never left. But, in the seven years he did spend at Stamford Bridge, he left the world in awe with his unparalleled natural talent.