'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Former Manchester United and Chelsea midfielder Juan Mata has posted a warm message for his former Blues teammate Eden Hazard, who has announced his retirement.
Hazard, 32, was widely regarded as one of the game's best attackers in his prime but had an injury-ravaged four-season stay at Real Madrid, which greatly tarnished his legacy.
The Belgian announced his international retirement after his country's disappointing 2022 FIFA World Cup group-stage exit in Qatar. He has now announced his retirement from club football as well after mutually terminating his Los Blancos deal this summer despite having a year left.
Hazard made his name as a world-class attacker during a hugely successful seven-season stay at Chelsea between 2012 and 2019. The Belgian bagged 110 goals and 92 assists in 352 games across competitions, winning two Premier League and as many UEFA Europa League titles, among others.
Mata, who played for two seasons with Hazard at Stamford Bridge, has penned a heartwarming message on X (formerly called Twitter) for his former teammate:
"Oh, how I enjoyed playing with you… One of the very best. Enjoy your new chapter, my friend, you deserve it. Thanks for all the memories and for bringing your joy to football"
Hazard and Mata played 69 games together for the Blues during the 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons, combining for six goal contributions, with the Belgian scoring four of them.
How did Eden Hazard's former teammate Juan Mata fare at Chelsea and Manchester United?
Eden Hazard's former club teammate Juan Mata enjoyed a fairly successful stint at Chelsea and Manchester United, two of English football's biggest and most successful clubs.
Mata first arrived on English shores with Chelsea, where he bagged 33 goals and 57 assists in 135 games across competitions in three seasons. The Spaniard's most productive season with the Blues came in 2012-13, where he played 62 games across six different competitions, scoring and assisting in all of them.
The Spaniard bagged an impressive 20 goals and 32 assists across competitions that season. The Blues won the UEFA Europa League that season, a year after their maiden UEFA Champions League title.
After joining Manchester United in 2014, Mata stayed there for nine seasons, bagging 51 goals and 47 assists before departing last summer after falling down the pecking order. He won the Europa League and the FA Cup, among others, with the Red Devils.
