Joe Cole has claimed that former Chelsea teammate Eden Hazard possessed genius-level talent comparable to Lionel Messi but lacked the motivation to achieve similar greatness. Speaking on the Rest is Football podcast, Cole described Hazard as the best player he ever played with, yet noted the Belgian's indifferent attitude toward training and preparation.
Cole's praise for Hazard's ability
'I got to play with Eden Hazard, who I think is the best player I ever played with. He was a genius. I played with some great players but he was at another level,' Cole said. However, he added: 'If he had the mentality… all footballers are very competitive, you’ve all got that fire in you. He wasn’t like that. He didn’t like training, it was a struggle. Sometimes you had to remind him, “we’ve got a game now”. In the dressing room he’d just be in his own world.'
Hazard's Chelsea legacy
Hazard joined Chelsea in 2012 partly on Cole's recommendation and became one of the club's greatest players. Over seven years, he scored 110 goals and provided 92 assists, winning two Premier League titles, two Europa Leagues, the FA Cup and the League Cup. He also captained Belgium's 'golden generation' to a third-place finish at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
Decline at Real Madrid and early retirement
Despite his success, Hazard faced criticism for his perceived lack of work-rate and fitness discipline. He moved to Real Madrid in 2019 for a then-club-record £102 million but arrived out of shape and suffered continuous injuries, making only 30 La Liga starts in four seasons. He retired at age 31 after Belgium's group-stage exit at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Could Hazard have been an all-time great?
Asked if Hazard could have become an all-time great with proper application, Cole responded: 'Absolutely. I think he’s Messi without the drive. Messi’s got the drive. Some of the things he did with the ball on a day-to-day. I’ve been lucky to have played with some great players [but] he was the best.'
Context: Messi's ongoing brilliance
At 39, Messi continues to perform at the highest level, with eight goals and an assist in five World Cup games, trailing only Kylian Mbappe (eight goals, three assists) in the Golden Boot race. He is poised to lead Argentina to a potential back-to-back World Cup triumph, with a semi-final against England possible if Argentina beats Switzerland.
