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Eden Hazard’s Ballon d’Or ambitions could secure his future at Chelsea

By The Pride of London Staff

LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 22: Eden Hazard of Chelsea celebrates with Diego Costa of Chelsea after scoring his sides third goal during The Emirates FA Cup Semi-Final between Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley Stadium on April 22, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 22: Eden Hazard of Chelsea celebrates with Diego Costa of Chelsea after scoring his sides third goal during The Emirates FA Cup Semi-Final between Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley Stadium on April 22, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images) /
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Eden Hazard has come to believe that he can win the Ballon d’Or at Chelsea, now that the club are Champions League contenders under Antonio Conte. This change of heart could secure his long-term – perhaps permanent – future at Stamford Bridge.

Rumours of Eden Hazard leaving Chelsea only ever had one destination: Real Madrid. While Hazard could win any number of domestic trophies and Premier League honours, the Champions League seemed a step too far given English clubs’ faltering in that tournament since 2012. And without a Champions League trophy, Hazard would never win the Ballon d’Or.

If Hazard wanted to reach the pinnacle of his abilities and receive the honours due him, the conventional wisdom was that he would have to leave Chelsea. By taking his place as a galactico at Real, he would be in a better position to win the team trophies that would lead to the individual honours.

The evidence and logic were unassailable, and Hazard likely believed this and knew what he someday must do. However, Antonio Conte’s arrival has pierced this thought process. Chelsea are now Champions League contenders well ahead of schedule. And they are doing so with a style of football that makes Hazard a Ballon d’Or contender himself.

"I hope to win the Ballon d’Or one day… Could I win it? If I play next season, we win the Champions League and I win the World Cup with Belgium, why not? In the last 10 years, the Ballon d’Or winners play in Spain, but it’s not automatic. If a player is better in England, he will win it. – SkySports"

Since 2009, only twice has a player from outside of La Liga finished in the top three in Ballon d’Or voting. Both of those players were from Bayern Munich (Franck Ribery, 2013; Manuel Neuer, 2014). Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have owned the award since 2008. Ronaldo’s first win was the last time an English club finished in the top three places.

Hazard, though, is starting to believe he can reverse that trend. He is realizing not only that Chelsea can fulfill his ambition, but that it may be the best place to do so.

"Eden Hazard has smartened up on this. Chelsea FC is the place for him. If you can see James Rodriguez and Alvaro Morata not playing at all, do you that’s going to be a good place for you? Eden Hazard needs a more stable environment. It’s his mentality as a player. Now, at Chelsea with Antonio Conte and his confidence back, Chelsea is the place where Hazard can really flourish. – Barrett Rouen, The Blue Lions"

Hazard acknowledged that the Ronaldo-Messi duopoly will likely continue for a few more years. Neither show signs of diminished ability, and both will remain favourites among the voters until they retire. Hazard noted that Neymar and Antoine Greizmann – the last two third-place finishers – and Paulo Dybala are best positioned to break the cycle.

Eden Hazard is at the age and point in his career where a move to Real Madrid would make the most sense to chase trophies and assert his claim for the Ballon d’Or. If he feels that he does not need to go to Spain in order to do so, Chelsea can retain him through this critical period.

Next: Christian Atsu leaves Chelsea after five loans, zero appearances

He will then be that much more likely to extend his stay at Chelsea perhaps to the end of his career. That alone would place him alongside Frank Lampard and Peter Osgood. Frank Lampard is the closest a Chelsea player has come to the Ballon d’Or, finishing runner-up behind Ronaldinho in 2005. If Hazard can one-up Lampard, he will be the club’s greatest player.

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