Eden Hazard, the newest inductee into the Premier League Hall of Fame, was congratulated by John Terry in a video message and responded with a story about his old Chelsea captain.
It was announced on Wednesday afternoon that Hazard would be the sixth Chelsea player to make it into the Hall of Fame, six years after leaving Stamford Bridge.
He joins John Terry, Frank Lampard, Petr Cech, Didier Drogba and Ashley Cole.
The two-time Premier League-winner was congratulated by Terry and his old manager, Jose Mourinho, as part of the reveal. Hazard goes on to tell the story of his first training session as a Blue.
Eden Hazard’s first interaction with John Terry at Chelsea
Hazard came from Lille for a bargain £32 million in 2012, a time when Terry was already a Chelsea legend, but still at the peak of his powers and the leader of the side.
As Hazard recalls: “I always remember the first day I trained with Chelsea and I was talking no English. And he just asked me ‘Do you want some water?’
“I’m like, ‘What? John Terry asked me something. Like he wants to give water to me? I should give water to him!'”
Still just 21, Hazard may have expected less from an established great, but his own talent was already commanding respect at that young age.
He ended his last season at Lille with 21 goals and 18 assists and was coming in on a £170,000 per week wage. That, for a 21-year-old, would not fly under the new ownership. But this was a special talent and the last player Thierry Henry would have paid to watch.
Hazard showed his quality on his Chelsea debut, and kept showing it for seven wonderful years.
Jose Mourinho high-fives Eden Hazard as he leaves the pitch for Chelsea
Photo by Ira Black/Corbis via Getty Images
Terry and Mourinho thank Hazard
Sending messages to Hazard to commend his achievement, both Terry and Mourinho showered him with praise. Something that clearly meant a lot to him.
As well as apologising for being a ‘pain’ while coaching Hazard, Mourinho says: “I enjoyed so much [coaching you] and by the way, thank you so much for my last Premier League title.”
Similarly, Terry credits Hazard with ‘a few of these trophies’ covering the wall behind him.
Two Chelsea legends showing their respect and appreciation for another.