Eden Hazard is reportedly set to retire from football at the age of 32, having ended his £400,000-a-week Real Madrid contract early.
The 32-year-old has already called time on his international career after Belgium’s dire 2022 World Cup campaign.
Retirement is now a real option, according to Spanish reports that the former Chelsea star will stay in the capital.
Mundo Deportivo claims that the player is keen to stay in Madrid along with his family, and it is a decision that he has begun to consider in earnest in recent days.
That would leave him with a difficult decision – either he will have to find a new club near enough to the city, or call time on a career that, prior to joining Real, saw him ranked among the best to play the game in Europe.
In a statement on their website, the club said: ‘Real Madrid CF and Eden Hazard have reached an agreement whereby the player will be released from the club as of June 30, 2023.
‘Eden Hazard has been part of our club for four seasons, in which he has won 8 titles: 1 European Cup, 1 Club World Cup, 1 European Super Cup, 2 Leagues, 1 Copa del Rey, and 2 Spanish Super Cups.
‘Real Madrid wants to express its affection for Eden Hazard and wishes him and his entire family the best of luck in this new stage’.
A decision about retiring from football is thought to have been on the player’s mind for some time, with his passion for the game reportedly fading over the course of his stay at Real.
