Zinedine Zidane said physical setbacks stopped Eden Hazard from giving Real Madrid what he wanted and that he wished the winger had done more after his Chelsea success. Hazard joined in 2019 for up to €150 million and was seen as a potential Cristiano Ronaldo replacement.
Zidane said he and Hazard were close, called him “a charming guy” and said he had good memories of Hazard as a player and person. Hazard was Zidane’s top transfer target when he returned to Real Madrid in 2019; he arrived a few months into that second spell, struggled to adapt, but was part of the side that won the 2019-20 La Liga title. Zidane left after the 2020-21 season, and Hazard departed two years later after playing under Carlo Ancelotti.
