“Shame that I didn’t bring a smile to the faces of Real Madrid fans” - Eden Hazard on struggling to replace Cristiano Ronaldo

Considering the otherworldly achievements of Cristiano Ronaldo in a Real Madrid shirt, it was always going to be a tall order to find a replacement for him. The unenviable task was handed to Belgian superstar Eden Hazard, but he ultimately failed at it.

Real Madrid spent a club-record fee to prise Hazard away from Chelsea. In his time at Stamford Bridge, the Belgian distinguished himself as being one of the best four or five players in world football.

Eden Hazard began his spell at the Santiago Bernabeu in a mildly positive manner before an ankle injury in the UEFA Champions League against Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) marked the beginning of his problems. The Belgium captain was never able to fully recover from the problem, which eventually resulted in metal plates being fitted to his ankle.

Hazard spoke with John Obi-Mikel and Chris McHardy on the Obi One podcast, where he revealed his disappointment at being unable to replicate his Chelsea performance at Real Madrid. He left the club at the end of the 2022-23 season, ending an unsuccessful four-year stint in Spain without coming close to the legacy of Cristiano Ronaldo.

“Real Madrid was my dream club. I remember that in my first game of the season, I was injured. So I went to the VIP box. I was watching the game and thought, ‘This stage is for me,'" Hazard said.

“When I quit football, it was not like regret because these things happen. But it’s just a shame that I didn’t bring a smile to the faces of the Real Madrid fans," he added.

Eden Hazard managed only 76 appearances in a Los Blancos shirt between 2019 and 2023, scoring seven goals and providing 12 assists. The Belgian forward had his contract terminated at the end of the 2022-23 season, after which he retired from professional football.

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Cristiano Ronaldo number unavailable for Kylian Mbappe at Real Madrid

Real Madrid are closing in on the signing of France international Kylian Mbappe on a free transfer from PSG. The Spanish outfit have spent several windows pursuing a deal for the 25-year-old, and are closer than ever to signing him.

Mbappe has long been touted as the long-term heir to Cristiano Ronaldo, but he will not get a chance to don his vaunted number 7 jersey. The shirt is occupied by Brazilian star Vinicius Jr, who is one of Los Blancos' most important at present.

The number 9 shirt is free at the club, and Mbappe may choose to pick up the shirt if he moves to the Bernabeu. There is also talk of the club allowing Luka Modric to leave at the end of the season, which will free up his number 10 shirt.