When Mikel asked whether the Belgian would have moved to the Blues even if Chelsea had won the Champions League, Hazard replied: “My friend, Chelsea was a long way away. That’s why I have to thank Drogba!”. It was Didier Drogba who scored the 1-1 equalizer in the 2012 CL final against FC Bayern Munich shortly before the end of regular time and then scored the decisive penalty in the penalty shootout.
In the summer of 2012, Hazard moved from Lille to Chelsea for a transfer fee of £32 million, where he would become a legend in the following years. With the London club he managed to win two English championships, the Europa League twice, the FA Cup once and the League Cup once before his departure in 2019. He contributed 202 scorer points in 352 appearances.
The only 33-year-old has been retired since October 2023, most recently playing for Real Madrid.