Despite sharing the pitch with legends like Luka Modric, Frank Lampard, and Kevin De Bruyne, Eden Hazard believes one former teammate never truly got his flowers: Mousa Dembélé.
The Belgian icon, who retired in 2023 after a trophy-laden (if injury-stunted) stint at Real Madrid, recently told The Guardian that Dembélé was among the elite midfielders of his generation.
While the former Tottenham and Fulham man lacked the flashy goal stats of his peers, Hazard insists his technical brilliance was unmatched.
He isn’t alone in that assessment. Former Fulham boss Martin Jol once claimed Dembélé was “likely the best player I’ve ever seen” in terms of ball retention.
For those who watched him in the Premier League, Hazard’s high praise comes as no surprise.