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Despite Eden Hazard being a €150 million-priced player, former Chelsea and Newcastle United winger Damien Duff thinks that the former will never reach the heights set by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Eden Hazard joined Real Madrid in 2019, brought in by Florentino Perez as a replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo, who left for Juventus a year earlier.
Eden Hazard has, however, failed to settle down at Real Madrid and has faced a lot of backlash from the media and fans for his poor form.
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"Hazard never had the drive of Messi and Ronaldo" - Damien Duff
While at Chelsea, Eden Hazard was arguably the best player in the Premier League. But since joining Real Madrid, there have been a lot of question marks surrounding his form and professionalism.
Former Chelsea player Damien Duff has not been impressed by the Belgian's performances at the Bernabeu. The Irishman suggests that due to a lack of drive, the 30-year old winger cannot be compared to the likes of Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Speaking to Irish news outlet RTE, Damien Duff said:
“He’s 30, he relies on sharpness, being a quick dribbler. We all know after 30 it’s downhill. He’s never been a top pro and he’s never had the drive of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. If he did, you’d probably be mentioning him with them two players."
What sets Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo apart from the rest is their will to succeed. Eden Hazard's first impression at Real Madrid wasn't great, however, when he turned up in Spain overweight. Duff said:
“He turned up for his first pre-season at Real Madrid – Galactico, €160million – overweight. Fat. Call it what you want.
“You’d worry for him, because he’s had 11 injuries and to come back from 11 injuries – and he’s hardly played in two years – you need to have drive, you need to be a top pro."
Eden Hazard has had a torrid time at Real Madrid. A lack of form and an abundance of injuries has derailed his promising career. While Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo continue to score goals, Eden Hazard has only managed 3 goals in 16 appearances all season.
Eden Hazard clearly possesses a lot of quality as a player. However, according to Damien Duff, it is lack of attitude off the pitch which will see the Belgian struggle in his time playing in La Liga.
