"Hazard could win the Ballon d'Or," insists Chelsea's Cesar Azpilicueta

Cesar Azpilicueta is confident that his teammate Eden Hazard has a lot of room for improvement

Eden Hazard and Cesar Azpilicueta are two of Chelsea’s most consistent players, and neither of them is shy of expressing their appreciation for the other. Speaking to Spanish agency Marca, the defender spoke on several topics.

When asked if he thought whether Eden Hazard was on the same level as Cristiano Ronaldo and Leo Messi, Azpilicueta said, "They're two monsters in footballing terms. Eden is a great player and is younger than they are, so he has more room for improvement. I think he could win the Ballon d'Or in the future."

Chelsea had recently secured the Capital One Cup trophy with a victory over Tottenham Hotspurs, and the Spanish defender feels, "It's a trophy that is viewed as important here in England. We see it as the reward for our efforts over the course of the season so far and it makes us feel that we're on track for more success.

When asked if he felt more appreciated in England than in Spain, the 25-year-old said, "I feel appreciated in general, particularly when it comes to those who have been following me since I started out at Osasuna and my spell at Marseille, when I got injured.”

“It's true that I get more love in England, but that's normal when you don't play for a Spanish club. Luckily the Premier League is watched all over the world,” he added.

Enquired if he was at his best, he said, "You're constantly improving as a player.”

“I've had older teammates who felt their best was still to come and I believe that too. I've been operating in a different position at club level [left-back] in which I've been feeling more and more at home in recent months, but I still have hopes of playing even better.”?