Eden Hazard, former Real Madrid and Chelsea winger, had a career many expected to shine brightly but ultimately dimmed due to injury and unfulfilled potential.
Hazard, who was once considered one of the top players in Europe, moved to Real Madrid for a staggering €120 million, a transfer fee that placed high expectations on his shoulders.
Unfortunately, persistent injuries hindered his performance and prevented him from showcasing his best football in Spain.
Surprisingly, Hazard’s career could have taken a different turn years before his move to Chelsea. Barcelona reportedly had a keen interest in the Belgian winger while he was still at Lille, where he trained and developed his skills for nearly a decade.
At the time, Hazard was already making a name for himself with his creativity, quick footwork, and goal-scoring ability. However, Barcelona’s scouts ultimately chose to pass on signing him, despite closely monitoring his progress.
Why did Barcelona reject Hazard?
Bojan Krkic Sr., a former scout for Barcelona, recently shed light on why Barcelona decided against pursuing Hazard. According to Krkic Sr., he first noticed Hazard’s talents during the U-17 European Championship, where Hazard’s performances caught the attention of many top clubs.
“I met him at the U-17 European Championship, where my son played. Belgium reached the final, but Spain won it; Hazard played the entire tournament wonderfully, except for the final. Then, he signed for Lille,” he said as quoted by SPORT.
However, Krkic observed some concerning signs regarding Hazard’s approach and commitment.
On one occasion, when watching Lille’s warm-up before a match against Montpellier, Krkic noticed Hazard standing apart from his teammates, appearing less focused and more interested in the crowd than the preparation.
“I went to see him against Montpellier. It was August and a player was missing from the warm-up, all in short sleeves and Hazard came out in tracksuits.
“The team was all together to warm up, he was the other way around; they stretched, and he looked at the stands. He played well, but in delivery and attitude I didn’t like him,” he noted.
Gave him another chance
Keen to give Hazard another chance, Krkic returned to watch him in another match. Unfortunately, similar behaviour emerged, as Hazard seemed disconnected from the team’s activities and less engaged in pre-match routines.
“I went to see him three days later against Angers. He was on the bench, like other starters. Everyone warmed up and he was walking. The physical trainer told them to stretch and he was watching the game. I put ‘discarded’ in the report,” he added.
Krkic concluded in his scouting report that Hazard, despite his technical and tactical brilliance, lacked the dedication and mindset Barcelona valued in their players.
“These types of players, who are very good, have shown me that they have not given results; both when they were my teammates, and when I was a Barça scout.
“My report was: maximum quality, technically and tactically; but because of attitude and personality, with more details, I ruled him out,” he concluded.
This evaluation ultimately led Barcelona to abandon their interest in Hazard. While Hazard went on to enjoy considerable success with Chelsea, his struggles with consistency and injury throughout his career seemed to validate Krkic’s early assessment.
