EDEN HAZARD has revealed the body transformation he underwent each summer which saw him put on FIVE KILOS during pre-season.
The forward, who retired at 32 after his time at Real Madrid was cursed with injuries, has opened up on his love for food and Belgian beer.
Hazard basked in the glory of seven trophy-laden seasons at Chelsea but he could not replicate the success at the Bernabeu.
Real Madrid turned into a nightmare for the star due to a series of unfortunate events, including injuries and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
And the Belgian icon told the Obi One podcast with his former Chelsea team-mate John Obi Mikel that he arrived at Real’s pre-season overweight when he first arrived at the Spanish capital.
He said: “It was true, but me, every summer, I was putting on four or five kilos because I was thinking you give so much for ten months.
READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWS
“You put your body at the highest level and people kick you, so your time off is your time off.
“Don’t ask me to do anything. I enjoy being with my family, going to the beach, so don’t ask me to run in those three or four weeks.
“I can play football on the beach with my kids, no problem, but don’t ask me to run.
“But if you look throughout my career, the first month of the season is the bit where I was thinking, ‘It’s just the beginning,’.
Most read in Football
HOW TO GET FREE BETS ON FOOTBALL
“And then from September and October, I was flying, because I needed time to put my body and mind in the best way.
“So yes, it’s true, I came back after holidays with five kilos, I knew it.”
The former Chelsea man signed for Spanish giants Real Madrid in June 2019 for £88.3million but only played 76 times across four terms before hanging his boots up in October last year.
But Hazard said his love for his family, friends, food and a cheeky beer after a match was the reason for the weight gain.
He said: “I love everything with family and friends. If you ask me to eat something I’m going to eat. Even if I don’t like it, I’m going to eat.
“As a Belgian guy, we love beers because my country has the best beers in the world.
“So I’m not telling you I used to drink every day because it’s not true, but sometimes after a good game, one or two is nice.”
During his time at Chelsea, Hazard won two Premier League titles, one FA Cup, one League Cup, two Europa League trophies, and was the Premier League’s player of the season in 2014-15.
He only missed 26 games for club and country across the seven years he spent at Stamford Bridge.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
