Jose Mourinho believes Eden Hazard has what it takes to play at the level of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Chelsea playmaker revealed in an interview with a Belgian newspaper that he wants to be considered on par with the La Liga duo.
Mourinho worked with Ronaldo at Real Madrid and believes his current charge has the potential to be among the world’s best players.
“Now, I say yes. Now, I say yes, because his evolution is great,” Mourinho told reporters.
“Eden was much easier than I thought,” the Portuguese added when asked to compare Hazard to other players he has coached.
“If it was easier than I thought, it’s his responsibility, not mine. What I did was normal. The way he reacted was not normal. It was fantastic.”
Mourinho added that Hazard’s goal of winning the Ballon d’Or requires a different approach than becoming a great player.
“If he wants the Ballon d’Or, he must build the entourage politically for that.
“It’s a different story if he wants to be a great, great player and arrive where Cristiano and Messi arrive.
"He has the space to go – he’s 23, and Cristiano is 28 or 29, Messi 26 or 27.
"Still young players, but four or five years older than Eden. So he has space for evolution. I think there’s a great ambition for him.”
