Sportskeeda's list of 50 best players playing currently: 40-31

#32 Eden Hazard

When questioned about the Belgian brilliance that is Eden Hazard at the end of Chelsea’s faultless 2014/15 Premier League campaign, Alan Smith heralded the 25-year-old not for his sexy skill or blistering pace, but for a rather unorthodox attribute.

“I am actually talking about the Belgian’s durability, about his ability to ride all the tackles and sly kicks off the ball and come back fighting. There is a lot to be said for that.”

Smith is right. For many, what makes Hazard such an exceptional talent is the fact he combines flair with focus. This term so far, October’s Player of the Month has won an average 69% of all duels and has made ten interceptions, just two shy of the total number he achieved over the course of last season.

The Belgian has adapted following Chelsea’s miserable 2015/16 season to contribute at both ends of the field, and he’s a significantly improved player for it; this outlines superb maturity and a great footballing brain.

If I were writing this piece in six months time, I’d put good money on Hazard infringing on the top ten, given that the only aspect of his game letting him down at the moment is his form over the past twelve months.

Mesmerising feet, a rifle of a strike outside of the box and composure in tricky situations, Hazard is destined to be one of, if not the greatest, wide-man in Premier League history.