Five things you probably didn't know about Eden Hazard

The Eden Hazard transfer saga was a major talking point for football fanatics all around the world. Eden has finally made up his mind and has chosen Chelsea. So if you want to sound cool in front on your friends next season with some Eden-knowledge, here are some facts that you probably don’t know about him:

His footballing family

Yes, Eden is the only footballing Hazard we know. But if you count the number of players from the Hazard household who play professional football, you will end up with half a side. His father Thierry played in the Belgian second division while his mother Carine was a striker in the Belgian women’s first division.

The Hazard football academy!

He has three brothers – Thorgan Hazard who plays for Lille’s biggest rivals RC Lens, fourteen-year-old Ethan and six-year-old Kylian – both of whom play for AFC Tubize, where Eden and Thorgan had started off as kids.

The versatility

Eden Hazard can literally play anywhere in the forward line. He is a quality winger and an equally good attacking midfielder as well. He can switch flanks easily and can also fit into the ‘hole’ behind the striker.

He is extremely quick and has superior ball control: something that makes many people compare him to Cristiano Ronaldo.

Ronaldo had all these attributes and he did go on to become one hell of a player!

The first of everything!

Hazard was the youngest goalscorer in Lille’s history – he was only 17 when he scored that goal. Eden was also the first foreign player to win Ligue 1′s Young Player of the Year award. He later became the first player to win it in consecutive years.

Possibly, the first ever player to announce his transfer on Twitter

He is probably also the only player ever to have announced his transfer decision publicly on a social networking site!

The calm and cool demeanor

Although many people question Hazard’s work rate and commitment, his mental poise on the field is often lauded. His coach at Lille comments ,

“He is a real competitor, not a cheat, nor a moaner, because you don’t hear him complaining when he gets fouled.”

Hazard has only 13 bookings in his professional career so far, after making nearly 180 appearances.

His demeanor is something that would only do good for whichever team he plays for.

The “burger gate”

Belgium were playing Turkey in July, 2010. Hazard started the game but was subbed an hour into it. He went straight into the locker room and minutes later, was photographed eating a burger outside the stadium! The incident was later referred to as the ‘burger gate’. It’s not something that isn’t common when it comes to Hazard and the national team. He has often been accused by the coach of being overtly lazy.