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Nicolas Atkin

After inspiring Belgium to their best World Cup finish, Eden Hazard wasted no time in all but confirming he wants to replace Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid.
Hazard scored an excellent breakaway goal as Belgium beat England 2-0 in the Russia 2018 third place play-off at St Petersburg Stadium, capping off an impressive tournament for the 27-year-old.
“After six wonderful years at Chelsea it might be time to discover something different,” he said.
“I can decide if I want to stay or go, but Chelsea will make the final decision, if they want to let me go. You know my preferred destination.”

Hazard has two years left on his contract at Premier League club Chelsea, where he has won two Premier League titles, the FA Cup, the League Cup and the Europa League since joining from Lille.
He has long been linked with a move to Madrid, however, and the Spanish giants are looking for big-name recruits this summer following Ronaldo’s €105 million (US$122.8 million) move to Juventus.
France v Croatia: Fifa World Cup final 2018 stats, line-up predictions, history, previous winners, HK time, match
Chelsea and Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has also been the subject of transfer speculation from Madrid, and said he wants to continue playing with his teammate Hazard.
“Wherever I go, Hazard must come along,” Courtois said. “We will not let each other go. We’ll see. Now first vacation. And agree with my entourage in between.”

New Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri is likely to be against either player departing Stamford Bridge, though.
“Now I’m going to talk to my manager to see what the possibilities are,” added Courtois, whose family still live in the Spanish capital from his time playing for Atletico Madrid.
Fifa World Cup 2018 closing ceremony: Will Smith defends Neymar injury play-acting as alphabet meme mocks Brazil star
“All options are open to me. Also stay at Chelsea, yes. People always complain that players do not comply with their contracts, but maybe I will.
“I do not think they will keep someone with my qualities on the bench, even if I do not sign. But maybe that’s possible because I like being in London.”

Belgium manager Roberto Martinez said his side deserve high praise for their achievements in Russia, where they matched some records.
“We faced eye-to-eye to Brazil. We overcame a 2-0 deficit against Japan – that is the first time it happened since 1966,” he said.
“We scored the biggest amount of goals in a Belgian team in World Cup history. We got 10 different goal scorers – which is a record also with France [in 1982] and Italy [in 2006].
“We’ve been a team. We’ve suffered together. We’ve played football that a mutual fan of the World Cup really enjoyed.
“We got the best qualification for Belgium in the history of the World Cup and that makes me very, very proud.”


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Fifa World Cup 2018

Fifa World Cup: Eden Hazard drops Real Madrid transfer hint after Belgium beat England in third place play-off

Eden Hazard wheels away in celebration after Belgium’s second goal. Photo: AP

Belgium's Eden Hazard, right, is pursued by England's Jesse Lingard as he runs with the ball during the third place match between England and Belgium at the 2018 soccer World Cup in the St. Petersburg Stadium in St. Petersburg, Russia, Saturday, July 14, 2018. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - World Cup - Third Place Play Off - Belgium v England - Saint Petersburg Stadium, Saint Petersburg, Russia - July 14, 2018 Belgium's Eden Hazard celebrates with a medal after the match REUTERS/Toru Hanai/File Photo

epa06888514 Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois of Belgium reacts after the 2-0 during the FIFA World Cup 2018 third place soccer match between Belgium and England in St.Petersburg, Russia, 14 July 2018. (RESTRICTIONS APPLY: Editorial Use Only, not used in association with any commercial entity - Images must not be used in any form of alert service or push service of any kind including via mobile alert services, downloads to mobile devices or MMS messaging - Images must appear as still images and must not emulate match action video footage - No alteration is made to, and no text or image is superimposed over, any published image which: (a) intentionally obscures or removes a sponsor identification image; or (b) adds or overlays the commercial identification of any third party which is not officially associated with the FIFA World Cup) EPA-EFE/GEORGI LICOVSKI EDITORIAL USE ONLY

France v Croatia: Fifa World Cup final 2018 stats, line-up predictions, history, previous winners, HK time, match

Alex Li from China wearing Zinedine Zidane’s jersey visits Red Square in Moscow, two days before the 2018 World Cup final between France and Croatia. Photo: AFP

The Luzhniki stadium is illuminated prior to the upcoming World Cup final between France and Croatia in Moscow, Russia, July 12, 2018. As well as shooting all the matches, Reuters photographers are producing pictures showing their own quirky view from the sidelines of the World Cup. REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach

Stats for the World Cup final

epa06881834 Luka Modric (L) of Croatia vies for the ball with Dele Alli (R) of England during the FIFA World Cup 2018 semi final soccer match between Croatia and England in Moscow, Russia, 11 July 2018. (RESTRICTIONS APPLY: Editorial Use Only, not used in association with any commercial entity - Images must not be used in any form of alert service or push service of any kind including via mobile alert services, downloads to mobile devices or MMS messaging - Images must appear as still images and must not emulate match action video footage - No alteration is made to, and no text or image is superimposed over, any published image which: (a) intentionally obscures or removes a sponsor identification image; or (b) adds or overlays the commercial identification of any third party which is not officially associated with the FIFA World Cup) EPA-EFE/SERGEI CHIRIKOV EDITORIAL USE ONLY

TOPSHOTS -- AFP PICTURES OF THE YEAR 2014 -- Germany's forward Andre Schuerrle (C) holds the trophy as he celebrates with teammates after his team's victory in the final football match between Germany and Argentina for the FIFA World Cup at The Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro on July 13, 2014. AFP PHOTO / ADRIAN DENNIS

A combination of file pictures shows France's goalkeeper and captain Hugo Lloris in Saint Petersburg on July 10, 2018 and Croatia's midfielder and captain Luka Modric in Nizhny Novgorod on June 21, 2018 during the Russia 2018 World Cup football tournament. France are firm favourites to win the final showpiece in Moscow on July 15, 2018 and become world champions for the second time -- 20 years after their first triumph in 1998. But they will come up against a hungry Croatia side. / AFP PHOTO / Paul ELLIS AND Johannes EISELE

A combination of file pictures shows Croatia's coach Zlatko Dalic (R) in Nizhny Novgorod on July 1, 2018 and France's coach Didier Deschamps in Moscow on June 26, 2018 during the Russia 2018 World Cup football tournament. Didier Deschamps' team are firm favourites to win the final showpiece in Moscow on July 15, 2018 and become world champions for the second time -- 20 years after their first triumph in 1998. But they will come up against a hungry Croatia side. / AFP PHOTO / Dimitar DILKOFF AND Franck FIFE

FILE PHOTO: France's Kylian Mbappe scores against Argentina in Kazan, Russia - June 30, 2018. REUTERS/Michael Dalder/File Photo

Sport

Football

Belgium star tells reporters ‘you know my preferred destination’ after World Cup victory against England at Russia 2018


Fifa World Cup: Eden Hazard drops Real Madrid transfer hint after Belgium beat England in third place play-off

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Belgium star tells reporters ‘you know my preferred destination’ after World Cup victory against England at Russia 2018

Belgium star tells reporters ‘you know my preferred destination’ after World Cup victory against England at Russia 2018