Precocious star, solar leader, vengeful joker: at only 31 years old, Eden Hazard has known everything with the Belgian "
golden generation
", and approaches the 2022 World Cup in the uncomfortable skin of a captain already watched by the sporting twilight and constrained to justify his place on the field.
Thus, among the 32 contenders for the world title, which selection begins the Qatari tournament with a leader capable of declaring, with a tight smile on his lips - "
I simply want to show that I still know how to play football and that I don't I haven't become useless in two or three years
"?
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The left winger, voted second best player of the 2018 World Cup where he had led the Red Devils to third place, was not joking in the face of the Belgian press before the start of the competition, which will go through a confrontation against Canada for the Belgium this Wednesday (8 p.m.).
“
It will be my third World Cup.
I want to show the Belgian people that I'm still here, that they can count on their captain.
This may be our last chance, with this beautiful generation, to be able to win something.
So there you go, we're going to try to give everything
, ”Blowed Hazard, moved.
Sometimes there are mornings when it's harder, when I think I'm playing and I'm not.
But the time was not to celebrate his 14 years and 122 caps in the national team (for 33 goals), nor the feats of arms of his first two Worlds, the defeat of 2014 in the quarter-finals against the Argentina to the elimination of Brazil (2-1) four years later at the same stage of the competition - which remains his masterpiece in selection.
Untenable in one against one when he was enjoying Lille (2007-2012) then Chelsea (2012-2019), the winger comes out of three almost white seasons at Real Madrid, where he had nevertheless landed for 115 million euros. euros, the most expensive recruitment in the history of Merengue.
"
I would be lying if I said that I saw it well.
I don't play (...) I try to keep smiling.
Sometimes there are mornings when it's harder, when I think I'm playing and I'm not.
It's up to me to adapt
, ”conceded the player.
The competition of Leandro Trossard
At least Hazard assures that he feels "
mentally and physically very well
", rid of the injuries that have plagued his life in recent years, especially since he regained "
the mobility of (his) ankle
" after an operation in March to remove a plaque from his right fibula.
But if his speed “
has not changed
,
it is the question of rhythm which is now the most important
”, he explained on Monday, especially in a tournament placed in the middle of the European season and deprived of his usual period of land preparation.
And while Hazard tries to find the legs that will allow him to last "
a whole match
“ – even to chain seven if Belgium reaches the last four – the competition grows with Leandro Trossard, 27, sparkling this season with Brighton where he notably scored a hat-trick against Liverpool in the league.
"
Someone will take my place, it's part of the game (...).
If you want to talk about Leandro, he deserves more than me to play right now, but I'm not going to let go.
If he plays, I will be the first to congratulate him
,” replied the winger, as usual dodging no questions.
Hazard even admits that "
on what (he) has done the last two years
", he would not place himself in the starting lineup, but dreams of proving that he "
still has good remains
".
"
Sometimes we put a captain on the bench, but maybe not all the time
," he repeated, sending a public message to his coach, Roberto Martinez.
All World Cup winners since 1930
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