Real Madrid star Eden Hazard on his most revered former player: “I watched all of his videos when I was younger”

Eden Hazard has named the one player from the past whom he would love to meet and speak with, revealing his admiration for his performances.

The Real Madrid and Belgium star named former playmaking star Juan Roman Riquelme as the player he has most admired from previous generations.

Real Madrid news has been dominated by the star’s injury problems since his switch from Chelsea in 2019, but he is now hopeful of showing his skill on the pitch.

Riquelme is most synonymous with Argentine giants Boca Juniors – with whom he enjoyed two hugely successful spells – whilst he played for both Barcelona and Villarreal in Spain.

Hazard told RTBF, in quotes carried by Marca: “If I hadn’t been around Zidane and Thierry Henry (who have both coached the player), I would have mentioned them. But a player that I have never met would take me to Riquelme. I watched all of his videos when I was younger. Yes, I would like to meet him on the pitch or just talk with him. It would be great.”

Riquelme endured just one season at the Camp Nou but struggled to find his best form under Louis van Gaal, who deployed him as a winger rather than in his natural number ten role.

He then spent three-and-a-half seasons at the Yellow Submarine, whom he led to the semi-finals of the Champions League in 2006.

Riquelme – who scored 17 goals in 51 Argentina appearances – won a total of ten trophies with Buenos Aires giants Boca.

Tags Eden Hazard Juan Roman Riquelme
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