"Hazard is the laziest footballer I have ever seen in my life"

Obi Mikel has now retired, but he spent his career at numerous clubs. He was at Chelsea for nearly 10 years as he was there between 2007 and 2016. 

The former Chelsea midfielder coincided during his time at Stamford Bridge with Eden Hazard just before he signed for Real Madrid. He does not think that the Belgian did things well when it came to working.

"Hazard is the laziest footballer I've ever seen in my life," Obi Mikel said in an interview with 'Dubai Eye'. "Everyone wants to be in the starting XI. There is no way you can say 'I don't want to train.'  The only one I saw do that and get his own way was him," he continued. However, he admitted that he had talent in abundance. "Then, the weekend came along and he was the man of the match, we let him do what he wanted."

Hazard has been criticised for his weight on many occasions and Obi Mikel revealed that Hazard "likes food." "The night before a game, after dinner, he'd sit there for 20 minutes or half an hour eating rice pudding," he said. 

But Obi Mikel defended the Belgian from criticism over his fitness. "When you look at him now, I think he's lost a lot of weight," he said. 

It is not the first time the Nigerian has spoken in these terms about Hazard's methods. A year ago, then in 'The Athletic', he said that Hazard was the worst when it came to training. 

 

February 16, 2023