It was perhaps the most striking moment of his performance: Rudi Garcia announcing that he had spoken a lot with Hazard about his decision to coach the Red Devils. Our compatriot will not have a role in the technical staff, but “will still play a role in our adventure towards the World Cup,” the Frenchman said. It immediately shows the strong bond that both gentlemen had during their time together at Lille, and still have to this day.
“Who’s the little one?”
The winger has not played more matches under any manager than under Garcia. In 190 matches he scored no fewer than fifty goals and fifty-seven assists. Hazard had made his debut with the big boys under Claude Puel at the age of 16, but our new national coach was the first to put him in the starting line-up and immediately gave him the keys to his team as a youngster.
“C’est qui, le petit?”, the French press initially said, but it would not be long before the whole country knew Eden Hazard. Not only is his speed with and without the ball striking, the carelessness with which he slides in front of defenders is also rarely seen. While other young boys often enter the field with trepidation, Eden did not feel any pressure, partly due to the confidence Garcia gave him.
(read more below the photo)
© BELGIUM
In his first full season with the big boys, the dribbling ace was immediately named the best youngster in Ligue 1, something he repeated the following year. Literally everyone is impressed by our compatriot. Also icon Zinedine Zidane, who said he would “take him to Real Madrid with his eyes closed”, something that actually happened many years later.
Roi Eden
Lille had not become national champions for more than fifty years, but with master motivator Garcia at the helm and their little magician between the lines, the locals could dream. In March 2011, Hazard scored perhaps the best goal of his young career. From about 35 meters he pushes the ball – with his apparently inferior left foot – past the hopeless Steve Mandanda. Lille beat Marseille 2-1 and thus secured the title.
Two months later the time has actually come: the red shirts play a draw on the PSG field and mathematically can no longer be dethroned. And at the very top of that throne sits Roi Eden, almost at a lonely height. A week earlier, he had also led his team to victory in the Coupe de France and at the age of 20 he was the youngest ever to be voted the best player of the competition. Praise resounds from all corners of the country, and he is even loved by rivals’ supporters. Everyone loves the young man who plays football like in his backyard.
(read more below the photo)
-© REUTERS
Drunken hat trick
Clubs at the top of global football are eager to sign our compatriot, but Hazard himself just wants to play in the championship with Lille. Because: “the Champions League may never return after this season,” he put the enormous interest into perspective. The club would not reach the knockout phase of the tournament, but the scouts of all the top clubs once again put a big line under the name of that spectacular Belgian.
Eden has now really become untenable for Lille, and will switch to Chelsea in the summer, but not without making himself heard one last time. In his farewell match against Nancy, he gets the captain’s armband around his arm, and thanks him with a triple within half an hour while he was actually still… drunk. He had taken a step into the world the night before together with his teammates, and according to midfielder Rio Mavuba that had gotten a bit out of hand.
“We decided to have a drink. A small drink that eventually became something more. The next morning Eden was still drunk. The best man had not slept, had been drinking all evening and simply scored a hat trick. We all looked at each other, and we all thought the same thing: ‘he is the real deal’”.
(read more below the photo)
© AFP
Julien as the new Eden?
Hazard was again voted player of the year in France and left ‘his’ Lille with nothing less than 654 successful dribbles in his legs. Of course he deserves all the credit, but without the courage of Rudi Garcia, the world might have had to wait just a little longer for his emergence.
The Frenchman is certainly not afraid to throw young talents to the lions. Can he – let’s just say – also blow up Julien Duranville?
