There was a moment late in Belgium’s win over Brazil on Friday when Eden Hazard led a break. He charged into the opposition half, turned back inside and, as runners went by him, taking defenders with them, space opened up for a pass out to the left to the substitute Youri Tielemans. There was an overlap, a chance of a third goal that would have finished the game. Hazard saw it. He tried to play it. But his legs, for once, did not obey. The ball set off in the right direction but with nothing like enough pace; Marcelo intercepted. Hazard had essentially been too exhausted to pass a ball 40 yards. Like the rest of the team, he was spent.
If Brazil had found a late equaliser, there could only have been one winner in extra time. Belgium had given everything, including Hazard, who does not necessarily have a reputation for industry. That, and his slightly diffident personality, lay at the heart of his difficult relationship with José Mourinho at Chelsea. But here he ran until he could run no more.
Hazard has said that his model was always Ronaldinho: he wanted to do his tricks and play with a smile on his face. He watched the Brazilian and copied his moves. He works much harder than Ronaldinho ever did and often wears a frown of concentration rather than the broad grin of his idol, but still, the original lurks beneath the surface; he jokingly refers to Chelsea’s training ground as “Cobham-cabana”. And against Brazil, Hazard was exceptional, as all of Belgium’s front three were.
His job, in a sense, was simple. This was not the inside-forward role he has been occupying for Belgium and that he has played for Chelsea over the past two seasons. In Kazan, he started wide in a 4-3-3 but with a brief to cut infield into the spaces left when Kevin De Bruyne dropped deep from his false 9 position. Hazard was up against the one potential weak link in the Brazil side, the third-choice right‑back, Fagner. Mexico’s Carlos Vela had dominated him early on in the last 16 clash in Samara; Hazard treated him like a slightly cumbersome training cone. He succeeded with all of his first five dribbles
After the match, Tite, the Brazil coach, retracted his earlier lament to God about all the injuries his side have suffered, but said this would have been a different game had Dani Alves not been ruled out before the tournament. It might have been a different game even if Danilo had been fit.
Fagner was exposed and unable to cope. Brazil’s switch to 4-4-2 at half-time meant Gabriel Jesus offered a measure of cover, but by then Belgium led 2-0. As Romelu Lukaku bullocked down one flank, overwhelming with Marouane Fellaini and Thomas Meunier a Brazilian left that proved too geared to attack, Hazard sliced away on the other side: two different threats, both released by Roberto Martínez’s brave tactical shift, both devastatingly effective.
It was a performance that could have long-term consequences. The situation at Chelsea is farcical. Antonio Conte may be sacked next week, or he may still turn up for work, the world’s most implausible George Costanza, to take training when the first wave of players return for pre‑season on Monday.
There has been talk for years about Real Madrid possibly making a move for Hazard, and it has grown louder of late, while Hazard notably did not play down talk of a transfer after the FA Cup final in May.
Although it is hard ever to be sure what is posturing, Cristiano Ronaldo’s representatives are at least in some sort of negotiations with Juventus. If the vacancy does not open up this summer, it will sooner rather than later. Florentino Pérez, the Madrid president, is often swayed by World Cups. After Mesut Özil in 2010 and James Rodríguez in 2014, could Hazard be his big post-tournament splurge this year?