Omotayo Fashola
(Eden Hazard during his time at Real Madrid. Photo Credit: Getty Images)
Eden Hazard has candidly discussed his turbulent spell at Real Madrid, admitting he never sought to inherit Cristiano Ronaldo’s legendary number 7 jersey.
The Belgian superstar joined Los Blancos in a blockbuster €100 million transfer from Chelsea in 2019, just 12 months after Ronaldo’s exit to Juventus.
Plagued by recurring injuries and inconsistent form, Hazard’s much-anticipated stint at the Bernabeu failed to live up to expectations before his retirement last year.
In a revealing interview, the former winger explained he wanted to carve his own legacy in Madrid rather than emulate Ronaldo, initially hoping to claim Luka Modric’s number 10 instead.
When Modric refused to relinquish his squad number, Hazard reluctantly accepted the iconic number 7 – a decision he now reflects on with mixed feelings.
