Wales vs Belgium: Chelsea’s Eden Hazard still getting to grips with captaining his country
Eden Hazard may have boosted his reputation in France as he prepares to lead Belgium into a quarter-final against Wales but he admits giving a team talk is still his biggest challenge.
The shy Chelsea midfielder has been handed the armband for Euro 2016 at the age of 25 and has responded in style with four strong performances and a goal-of-the-tournament contender in the last-16 victory over Hungary.
That is a big contrast to his displays at Stamford Bridge in a difficult season in which he failed to score for the Blues in the Premier League until hitting two goals against Bournemouth in April.
But while his performances on the pitch since then have been outstanding, he admits finding the right thing to say to team-mates before matches is proving more difficult.
Belgium face Wales tomorrow in Lille, the town where Hazard began his football career, and the squad are waiting for some inspirational pre-match words.
The winger has already said: “It’s a big honour to be captain and I’m very appreciative of it. But talking is the hard part for me. I am not a big talker.
“At the start it would make people laugh if I had to do a speech because I’m not really that used to talking a lot on the pitch or in the dressing room. It’s something I’ve had to learn. But I try to do my best and I try not to say the same thing every match!”
Hazard, once labelled as a trouble-maker at Chelsea when Jose Mourinho was sacked, has responded well after a difficult time at the Bridge in which he felt he was misrepresented.
Now being captain of his country at such a young age has also helped him mature.
“I have changed a bit not just because I’m captain but because I am more experienced in international football,” said Hazard, who has scored 14 goals in 69 games for his country.
“But I do take my role to heart, I try to do the best I can all the time, on the pitch and off it.
“As I say, I’m not always someone who makes a lot of noise off the pitch and motivates the players but when I’m on the pitch I try to be in charge on the ball and set an example for my team-mates.”
He certainly did that in the 4-0 victory against Hungary, producing an all-round performance which many people described as one of the best of the tournament so far.
There is extra reason to shine in Lille, too, having moved there from Belgium at the age of just 14 — a decision which kick-started his career and set him on the path to stardom. He spent almost five years at the club before a big-money move to Chelsea in 2012, having won the league and cup double in France.
Now Hazard is urging local fans to get behind him in what could be a difficult tie against in-form Wales. He said: “I think we are lucky to play in Lille — I know the city very well.
“It’s a new stadium so it will be different for me but I am very proud to be going back there and very proud that I will be leading out Belgium there.
“I was really motivated to reach the quarter-finals of the Euros and I think it will be a great celebration in Lille — I hope there will be plenty of supporters there to take part and that they cheer us on.”
Euro 2016 started slowly for Hazard, who admits losing against Italy in the opening game of the tournament was tough. But Belgium have responded well since then and Hazard’s performances have grown game by game, too.
Now he has his eyes firmly on Wales — and Gareth Bale — as he dreams of taking his country to the semi-finals.
“Wales are a tricky side to play against,” he said. “They have a very compact unit and they have a great player up front in Bale.
“We will need to be focused. We haven’t put any pressure on ourselves but we want to go as far as we can in the tournament.”
Chelsea's Hazard still getting to grips with captaining BelgiumEden HazardBelgium football teamWales football teamChelsea F.c