Belgian star Eden Hazard put an end to his career with the national team after failing to qualify for the second round in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, in a step that marks the beginning of the end of a golden generation for the "Red Devils".
The 31-year-old Real Madrid player said through his Instagram account, "Today I have turned a page... Thank you for your love. Thank you for your unparalleled support. Thank you for all the happiness you have shared with me since 2008. I have decided to end my international career. I will miss you." To you."
Hazard was a Yemeni who led his country to achieve a better achievement than what was achieved in 2018 when Belgium reached the semi-finals, but falling to Morocco with a clean double in the second round of Group G competitions, and then a goalless draw with Croatia in the final round, ended the "Red Devils" career. On the first turn.
Hazard's retirement marks the first stop at the end of the golden generation, which also lost its Spanish coach, Roberto Martinez, after he decided to leave and not renew the contract after the end of the group stage of the World Cup in Qatar.
4 years ago, Belgium's golden generation was in its prime and was placed at the top of the list of candidates to win the first world title in the country's history, but the journey did not reach its end, and stopped at the semi-finals at the hands of France, which later crowned the title.
Hazard and his comrades entered the Qatar World Cup knowing that it was their last chance to try to live up to their reputation among the continent's best players.
But Morocco did its job and dropped coach Martinez's men, which made them required to win the last round against Croatia, but this did not happen, so they settled for a draw and the campaign ended.
Hazard ended an international career that began in 2008 when he was 17 years and 316 days old, and since then he has played 126 matches, scoring 33 goals.