Eden Hazard rarely had an off-day in a Chelsea shirt and his Premier League debut was no different — but he does wish one thing could have been.
By the time Hazard left Chelsea, he was a two-time Premier League winner and regarded as one of the best to do it in the English top flight.
But when he first arrived, he was a 21-year-old, exciting — but still unproven — talent.
The newest inductee into the Premier League Hall of Fame, Hazard took time to reminisce over some of his defining moments in blue, starting with his first ever appearance.
Eden Hazard would change one thing about his Premier League debut
The Belgian’s debut could not have gone much better. He played 60 minutes, assisting a goal and winning a penalty as Chelsea came away 2-0 winners over Wigan Athletic.
Chelsea must have felt pretty justified in the £32 million they paid to Lille for his services.
But Hazard has one regret about that magical first game.
On the Premier League YouTube channel, he was shown the footage of his post-match interview following his debut.
He laments: “My only regret was that the first game was not at home, because when the first game is at home the feeling is different.
“But at the end the feeling was unbelievable, we won, I got Man of the Match for the game, so, a good debut.”
A shame indeed, but Hazard would have no shortage of magical moments at Stamford Bridge.
Hazard with Premier League trophy for Chelsea
Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images
Hazard recalls the day he denied Tottenham the Premier League
The Chelsea / Tottenham rivalry has always been heated, as evidenced by Terry’s recent brutal comments about Spurs.
A highlight of that long rivalry — at least for those of a blue persuasion — was the day Hazard’s magic denied Tottenham the Premier League.
He recalls: “I think Tottenham, they were 26 years without winning in Stamford Bridge, or something. So I said to myself, ‘Come on, do something at least.'”
And do something he did, curling one into the top corner and breaking Tottenham hearts. When he tells that story, a smile and a wink come almost subconsciously to the Chelsea legend.
And those are just two of the moments that made Hazard’s time at Chelsea so special. He is a worthy Hall of Famer, for sure.