Goal.com · Jun 30, 2016
Back to where it all began - how Hazard became a world-class player
SPECIAL REPORT
When Belgium face Wales in the quarter-final of Euro 2016 on Friday, Eden Hazard will return to where his professional career all began. Well, almost. Lille have traded grounds from the open Stade Metropole for the state-of-the-art Stade Pierre-Mauroy – and this will be Hazard’s first competitive visit.
Though Hazard was born and initially raised in Belgium, he was picked up by Lille as a youngster and the city became his footballing home for nine years. It was while he was in the far north east of France that his development accelerated and the groundwork was laid for him to become the world-class performer he has been for Chelsea.