Eden Hazard retires after Belgium's World Cup exit

Eden Hazard, who started his international career as a teenager, announced his retirement from international football on Wednesday, a few days after the team's elimination from the World Cup in the group stage. Hazard, who played as an attacking midfielder or winger, amassed 126 caps for Belgium, scoring 33 goals, after debuting in 2008. He was the team's 'golden generation' standard-bearer, who reached the 2018 World Cup semi-finals. 

Many of their players are in their 30s, and they finished third in Group F, losing to Morocco and Croatia. Hazard, who served as captain, made a surprising admission at the World Cup in Qatar, saying the team's best chance at winning the World Cup had gone. He moved from Lille to Chelsea in 2012, and became a dominant figure in the Premier League, winning the trophy twice. He joined Real Madrid in 2019 in a blockbuster transfer.