Hazard’s surprising revelation: Gael Kakuta named most talented teammate
Former Chelsea and Real Madrid star Eden Hazard has named Gael Kakuta the most talented player with whom he has ever played.
Hazard spoke on John Obi Mikel’s podcast, overlooking major names like Luka Modric and Kevin De Bruyne in favor of concentrating on the once-highly regarded Chelsea prospect.
🇧🇪✨ Eden Hazard: “Most talented player i’ve played alongside? GaĂ«l Kakuta. The only one I was saying ‘wow’ was Gael Kakuta.”
”You asked me talent. Kakuta, by, far number one. Talent. I mean, talent. Wow.”
“You know I played against him a lot because I used to play at Lille,… pic.twitter.com/RPZKI4Iiet
— EuroFoot (@eurofootcom) February 19, 2024
 Hazard said: “In Real Madrid I play with the best player[s] in the world. For me [Luka] Modric, [Karim] Benzema, they are top top of the list. When you say Kevin De Bruyne, he’s top on the list, when you say [Frank] Lampard he’s top of the list, Juan Mata for me was top of the list.”
However, he countered that by saying: “I’m gonna give you one name and John knows the player. The only one I was saying “wow” was Gael Kakuta. You asked me talent. Kakuta by far number one. Talent. I mean, talent. Wow.”
Hazard added: “I think now is easy to say but I think it went a bit too early [to] Chelsea. He was 16 when he when he when he left France for Chelsea, you know? And that step at 16 is a huge step.”
Kakuta, formerly regarded as a gifted player, joined Chelsea from Lens as a potential 15-year-old in 2007. However, despite early promise, his career at Chelsea never really took off. Loan spells and limited chances followed before Kakuta left the club in 2016, with just 16 appearances to his name.
While Kakuta’s professional trajectory may not have met the high expectations placed on him, Hazard’s acknowledgment of his brilliance provides a unique perspective.
Hazard, who retired from professional football at the age of 32 after a difficult period with Real Madrid, said future ambitions to train young players but ruled out returning to play.
As Hazard looks on his career, his backing of Kakuta serves as a reminder of the unpredictable nature of football paths and the long-term impact of fragile moments of brilliance.
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