Happy Birthday, Eden Hazard!

One of the most gifted players to grace Ligue 1 McDonald's, former Lille OSC winger Eden Hazard celebrates his 35th birthday today.

Collective and individual titles at Lille

Hazard took a path well-trodden, making the short hop across the Belgian border to arrive at Lille. He integrated Les Dogues' famous academy before integrating the first-team set-up back in 2008. He made just four appearances in the 2007/08 season. The following season, he would be much more influential, playing 35 times and registering 10 goal contributions.

As the seasons passed, his importance at LOSC grew. He would play 52 times the next season, registering 23 goal contributions, then 54 appearances and 26 goal contributions before a mammoth haul of 44 goal contributions in just 49 games in the 2011/12 season, his last in Ligue 1 McDonald's. His performances in his final two seasons at the French club earned him the Player of the Year award, and in the 2010/11 season, his impact also brought about collective success in the form of a Ligue 1 McDonald's title and a Coupe de France title in that same season, a historic one for Les Dogues.

17 years ago… Eden Hazard scored his first goal in L1 🇧🇪✨ pic.twitter.com/2LQnmFfkoJ
— Ligue 1 English (@Ligue1_ENG) September 20, 2025

But whilst his output was consistently impressive for over a decade, he wasn't a player defined by stats. "In matches, he put on his magic cape. He could destroy two tightly stacked lines of four all on his own, no matter the opponent. I have only seen Lionel Messi do that," recalled his teammate at Lille, Ludovic Obraniak.

It was Hazard's breakthrough that thereafter limited Obraniak's minutes in the team. He had a big impact on his teammates and also on the viewers of the sport more generally. "The player that I have enjoyed watching most in recent years is Eden Hazard. It was... wow!" said Thierry Henry.

A prime at the Bridge

Hazard would go on to leave Ligue 1 McDonald's and Lille back in 2012, joining Chelsea for a €40m fee. He would more than justify that outlay, winning the Premier League twice (2014/15 and 2016/17), the Europa League twice (2012/13 and 2018/19), the FA Cup (2018) and the League Cup (2015).

He would go on to play 352 times for Chelsea, netting 110 times and registering 88 assists over the course of his seven-year stint at Stamford Bridge. His parting gift would be the Europa League trophy, secured thanks to his brace in a 4-1 win over Arsenal in Baku.

Eden Hazard back where it all began 🥹🇧🇪pic.twitter.com/zLqck3auFG
— Ligue 1 English (@Ligue1_ENG) March 10, 2024

His big-money move to Real Madrid, always his dream, would not prove as fruitful, as injuries would limit him to just 76 appearances. He scored just seven goals for the club before then retiring back in 2023.

Following his retirement, he returned to Lille in 2024, lapping up the applause of the fans that once chanted his name. They, like everyone else, have not forgotten the magician who cast a spell on all of those who had the pleasure of watching him.

Happy Birthday, Eden Hazard!

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