We will now have to do without Eden Hazard in the national team. On December 7, the captain of the Devils announced his immediate withdrawal following 126 selections and three world cups. Asked by Vincent Langendries in an exclusive interview from Madrid, the Brainois reconsidered his decision and took the opportunity to send a message full of tenderness and kindness to the Belgian public.
“I have always had a great relationship with the Belgian public” he begins, no doubt remembering the good times he had in the national team. He then pays a nice compliment to the black yellow red audience: “He is a football expert. The hard core of the supporters, I met him as captain. They are real connoisseurs, not people who come only when you win. They are part of the family.”
So, does he have a message to convey to these many supporters who have always supported and supported him, in the good times as in the (rare) bad times? “A message ? I have plenty of them. I started at 17 in the national team, I’m 32. So I have 14-15 good memories. My message is to always continue to support the Red Devils. We had a super generation, slowly it will start to die out. But I’m 100% sure that the next generation might be even better. There will be no more Eden but there will be great players. And even if there are complicated moments, because it’s possible that we won’t be able to do it right away, over the next 2-3 years, to continue to believe in this team. We have a great football country, we are growing very slowly, we will probably never be Brazil or France, but we have talent.”
A talent that will have to be expressed from March 24, already a deadline for Domenico Tedesco at the head of the Devils. The Belgians will indeed travel to Sweden for the very first qualifying match for Euro 2024.
Find the full interview with Eden Hazard this Monday. Many passages will be broadcast in Benjamin Deceuninck’s Tribune.