Eden Hazard has opened up about his refusal to wear the iconic number 7 jersey at Real Madrid, a shirt previously owned by Cristiano Ronaldo. The Belgian playmaker, who joined Los Blancos in 2019 for €100 million, admitted he never intended to carry the burden of replacing the Portuguese star.
In a candid interview with Canal Plus, Hazard explained that his signing was about carving his own identity rather than filling Ronaldo’s shoes. “I arrived to be Eden, not to be the new Ronaldo,” he said. Injuries and fitness struggles plagued his four-year stint in Madrid, but Hazard insists his mindset was never about emulating his predecessor.
Hazard further revealed his preference for Luka Modric’s number 10 shirt, but the Croatian midfielder declined to hand it over. “I asked for 10, but Modric kept it. So I ended up with number 7, even though I didn’t want it,” Hazard disclosed.
The former Chelsea star’s time at Real Madrid fell short of expectations, with just seven goals and 12 assists in 76 appearances. However, Hazard noted that he takes pride in his decision to stay true to his own style rather than imitate Ronaldo.