He wanted to injure me — Hazard blames ex-teammate for horror tackle that ended his career

Eden Hazard's decline after joining Real Madrid from Chelsea remains one of football greatest regrets, despite his recent iduction into the EPL Hall of Fame.

There is no secret the former Blues playmaker suffered a series of debilitating injuries after arriving in La Liga, but the perception surrounding that frustrating spell could change favourably after a recent interview.

The blockbuster transfer in 2019 was meant to cement Hazard as the best footballer in the world at the Bernabeu. Fresh off multiple Premier League titles, Europa League triumphs, and individual accolades with Chelsea, he was expected to thrive under Zinedine Zidane.

Instead, his time in Spain became synonymous with persistent fitness struggles, limited appearances, and poor displays.

Hazard managed only 76 games across four seasons, scoring a modest seven goals before retiring in October 2023 at age 32.

Many pointed to his initial overweight arrival, recurring muscle issues, and a subsequent ankle fracture against Levante as compounding factors.

Yet the pivotal moment, the one that Hazard himself has long hinted at as a turning point , came on November 26, 2019, during Real Madrid's 2-2 Champions League draw with Paris Saint-Germain.

The Belgian was in flying form before a reckless challenge from PSG right-back and Belgium teammate Thomas Meunier.

In a recent interview with RMC Sport's "Les Nuits du Cazarre Enchaîné" with Julien Cazarre, Hazard opened up on the incident and how it set the course for his decline

"I was super well then Thomas Meunier injures me, that was a stop," he recalled.

"I had already had the same fracture two or three years earlier with Chelsea. I come back from injury and I injure myself again in the same ankle against Levante. That's when the problems started."He described the impact:

"Thomas Meunier hit me with unforgettable force, it was extremely difficult for me."

"I think he did it on purpose; he wanted to hurt me, and he told me later, that's why he wanted me to be injured."

The consequences were devastating. Hazard underwent multiple ankle surgeries, managed just 76 appearances and seven goals in four frustrating seasons at Real Madrid, and never recaptured the dazzling form that once made him the Premier League’s best player.