The “frenzied party” promised by the Belgian football federation to the 42,000 supporters gathered in the King-Baudouin stadium to attend the farewell to his public of Eden Hazard had a little bitter taste, Saturday, June 17. Because the team now coached by Domenico Tesdesco only had a very average match, which ended in a draw (1-1) against Austria, in the context of qualifying for Euro 2024. half-time after an own goal from defensive midfielder Orel Mangala in the 22nde minute, the Red Devils only avoided a defeat thanks to a kick from Romelu Lukaku, who scored, in the 61e minute, son 73e goal for the Belgian selection.
Not very enthusiastic, the supporters suddenly celebrated the lap made during the break by former captain Eden Hazard, the man with 125 caps and 33 goals, who announced the end of his international career after the bitter failure of the national team at the World Cup in Qatar in December 2022.
Fully celebrating this champion, considered by many to be the best Belgian player of all time, also meant putting a veil on his recent “release” by Real Madrid. The Spanish club terminated Hazard’s contract even though he himself said he wanted to honor it until its term. Namely 2024, with some 16 million additional net euros at stake. Leaves to vegetate one more year on the bench of the reservists.
Entangled in futile dribbling
During the 2022-2023 season, the 32-year-old spent a good part of his time there. He was only started five times by Carlo Ancelotti, around 400 minutes. Like others, the Italian coach had undoubtedly formed a definitive opinion on the state of form of the former star of Lille and Chelsea by seeing him evolve during the 2022 World Cup. Shadow of himself, entangled in futile dribbling, Hazard was the seized engine of a team that he had nevertheless carried to the semi-finals (0-1 against France) in 2018, and, four years earlier, in Russia, until in the quarter-finals (0-1 against Argentina).
Results which gave birth, in the kingdom, to a somewhat crazy dream of victory, which was shattered in Qatar: beaten 2-0 by Morocco after their narrow victory against Canada (1-0), the Red Devils achieved (without Hazard for most of the game) their best game against Croatia, but were unable to overcome Luca Modric and his companions. Hence an elimination in the first round and a resounding failure which prompted the ex-captain to announce his withdrawal when coach Roberto Martinez returned his apron.
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