Belgian attacking midfielder Eden Hazard announced his retirement on Tuesday after failing to find another club following his release by Real Madrid.
The 32-year-old struggled with injuries at Real Madrid following his £89 million (103 million euros, $110 million) transfer from Chelsea in 2019, making just 76 appearances in all competitions over four seasons.
“You have to listen to yourself and stop at the right time,” Hazard wrote on Instagram. “After 16 years and more than 700 matches played, I have decided to end my career as a professional footballer.”
Hazard had a very happy time at Chelsea, winning the Premier League title and the Europa League twice as well as the FA and League Cups from 2012–2019.