Chelsea icon Eden Hazard was an extremely laid-back character during his playing career, so it’s interesting to look back at who he once named as the teacher’s pet.
Eden Hazard, who retired from football in 2023, has gone down as a Chelsea legend for a dazzling seven-year spell in West London.
The 34-year-old Belgian winger could do things on a football pitch that very few individuals could match.
Appearances Goals Assists Trophies
352 110 85 6
Eden Hazard’s record at Chelsea
During a recent interview, former Blues midfielder Danny Drinkwater discussed Hazard’s training antics by sharing that the Chelsea great didn’t actually train seriously. Instead, he would save it all for the weekend when he would so often be the difference in a match.
Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images
Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images
Eden Hazard once named Cesar Azpilicueta as the teacher’s pet at Chelsea
Back in 2017, Hazard took part in a Q&A about his Chelsea teammates.
It’s interesting that he named Cesar Azpilicueta as the biggest teacher’s pet in the squad. Incidentally, this was during a period when Antonio Conte was the manager at Stamford Bridge.
When asked for the teacher’s pet at Chelsea, Hazard told Soccer AM: “Azpilicueta. You can ask everyone. Everyone will say Apzilicueta.”
Unlike Hazard, Azpilicueta is renowned for being the ultimate professional. For example, Frank Lampard mention Azpilicueta’s professionalism a couple of years ago.
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The versatile Spanish defender played for the Blues between 2012 and 2023, racking up a mammoth 508 appearances. He was the Chelsea captain for the final four years of his time in London, too.
Roberto Di Matteo pushed Chelsea to sign Azpilicueta on a £7m deal from Marseille, which was an inspired piece of business.
Photo credit should read ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images
Photo credit should read ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images
Cesar Azpilicueta is one of Chelsea’s most underrated players ever
Even though Azpilicueta is fondly remembered by everyone at Chelsea for his quality and consistency, we’d suggest he may be externally underrated.
The 35-year-old defender, who’s still plays now in Spain with Atletico Madrid, was simply immense in English football. In his prime, it was very rare that you’d see any attacker get the better of him in 1v1 situations.
Appearances Goals Assists Trophies
508 17 51 9
Cesar Azpilicueta’s record at Chelsea
In 2023, Liverpool legend Mohamed Salah acknowledged Azpilicueta by claiming he was “really tough” to face and one of his hardest opponents in wide areas.
At a time when Chelsea’s young squad is crying out for a bit of leadership and guidance, it would be handy to have Azpilicueta in the ranks still for that.