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Former Real Madrid winger Eden Hazard has reflected on the move that defined his career, explaining why joining the Spanish giants was always his ultimate goal.
Speaking about his departure from Chelsea in 2019 on Julien Cazarre’s program on RMC (h/t Mundo Deportivo), Hazard admitted that the idea of wearing white had been in his mind for some time.
“Signing for Real Madrid was my dream. I wanted to leave even before my last season at Chelsea.
“I had said I would stay, but if Real Madrid came looking for me, I would leave,” he remembered.
Unveiling at the Bernabeu
His unveiling at the Santiago Bernabeu remains one of the most memorable presentations in recent years.
A near-capacity crowd welcomed him, something Hazard still recalls with emotion.
“I felt like a kid during my presentation at the Santiago Bernabéu,” he said, recalling that “before arriving at Real Madrid, I heard many warnings about the dressing room and the difficulty of dealing with the players and all that kind of stuff.
“But the reality was completely different. The welcome was fantastic from everyone, from Zidane to the coaching staff to the players.
“I felt very comfortable from my first day at Real Madrid. Ramos, Modric, and Kroos welcomed me. Everyone was great, and everything went perfectly.”
Not a Ronaldo replacement
Hazard’s Real Madrid career was hampered by injuries. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
At the time, many fans viewed him as the successor to Cristiano Ronaldo. Hazard, however, never saw it that way.
“I didn’t come here to replace Cristiano Ronaldo. He scored a lot of goals in every game.
“Sometimes I didn’t even score one. I came here to be Eden Hazard and enjoy myself,” he added.
Unfortunately, injuries quickly disrupted his plans. A heavy challenge from Thomas Meunier proved decisive.
“Thomas Meunier hit me with unforgettable force. It was extremely hard for me and that slowed me down,” said Hazard, who then suffered a relapse in the same area, the ankle, and “that’s when the problems started.”
Rejecting PSG
Hazard also addressed interest from Paris Saint-Germain, confirming he repeatedly rejected their advances. “Every year, I was in contact with PSG.
“Nasser (Al-Khelaïfi) was coming, there was a lot of money, there was always a team to play in the Champions League.
“As things were going so well at Chelsea, my dream after that was to go to Real Madrid, not PSG,” he noted.