Chelsea’s Eden Hazard victorious in the Neymar debate

When Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo fade away, who is next has usually come down to Chelsea’s Eden Hazard or Paris Saint Germain’s Neymar. Hazard won.

There is no question who the best two players in the world are. In one corner is Lionel Messi, technically perfect and always looking for openings. In the other corner is Cristiano Ronaldo, a physical monster who can find a way to the back of the net no matter where he is.

But both the greatest of all time and the best of all time are getting older. Their best days are behind them and soon they will no longer sit on top. The debate on who comes to take the mantle has come down to two players in recent years: Eden Hazard and Neymar.

Both are similar, far more similar than Messi and Ronaldo. Hazard is far more of a creator who makes the simple exquisite. Neymar is more direct and can make the unbelievable ordinary. The world eagerly watched Brazil versus Belgium in the World Cup quarterfinal to see what the next chapter in the debate would be. Few would have expected the book on the subject to come to an end so quickly. Eden Hazard stood victorious, no contest.

It is best to look back at the World Cup as a whole and the narratives that have surrounded the two players. Both have made headlines for their teams for vastly different reasons.

Neymar led his team, yes, but it was entirely overshadowed by his antics. For all of his skill and ability, Neymar often decided it was best to dive and look for other advantages. He did not need them but he wanted them anyways. Despite this, he often put in good displays. But he rarely lit the tournament on fire. In fact, he was a bit overshadowed by his teammate Philippe Coutinho.

Hazard, meanwhile, pulled the strings game after game. Even when he was not involved in a goal, he was crucial in creating danger and in tiring defenses. And, it should be noted, that whenever he is fouled, he bounces right back up and continues on. He does not need to ask the ref for a foul, nor does he attempt to. Hazard knows it will be called if it will be called and no amount of complaint will change that. He merely keeps calm and carries on.

But the Brazil versus Belgium match showed the true gulf in the teams. Brazil was absolutely dominant in the match. The South American side was extremely unlucky to concede the first goal. But everything after that came down to Neymar and Hazard.

Neymar kept trying to break through alone. By the time he thought to look for a teammate, it was too late. Hazard was always thinking ahead two or three steps. When the ball reached Hazard (or even when it did not), he was looking at where he could be to maximize the team’s effort instead of his own.

The stats speak for themselves. Despite Belgium being on the back foot post of the match (partially by design), Hazard completed nine dribbles. For comparison, Brazil with the majority of possession completed nine as an entire team.

Next: Chelsea: Do not long for Thibaut Courtois, it is already over

The debate of who is the next to take the mantel at the top of the world is over. Not just because Belgium beat Brazil, but because Hazard has proved himself again and again as Neymar has failed to. The Belgian captain has closed the book on any and all arguments. He is the heir apparent to Messi and Ronaldo.