Former Chelsea winger, Eden Hazard had admitted even he questioned why he started for Belgium at the World Cup ahead of Arsenal midfielder Leandro Trossard.
Despite his lack of playing time at Real Madrid, Hazard started Belgium’s first two group games at the World Cup as Roberto Martinez’s side scraped a 1-0 win over Canada before losing to Morocco.
Arsenal January signing, Leandro Trossard started his first game of the tournament in the final group stage game against Croatia in while Belgium only got a point from which sealed their elimination from the World Cup in Qatar.
Eden Hazard retired from international football following Belgium’s early exit.
Trossard has been in excellent form for Brighton before Belgium’s World Cup campaign, scoring seven goals before the Premier League break, and he’s continued his fine form at his new club, Arsenal, scoring one goal & getting five assists since he moved to North London in January.
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Hazard believes the 28-year-old should have received more playing time in Qatar. He was asked if he felt hurt by people suggesting his time with Belgium’s was coming to an end during the World Cup, Hazard said…
“Not at all. We were talking about the name of Leandro Trossard to replace me, he was having a good season. Even I wondered why I had to play when he had to go on the bench. It’s normal for people to think that.
Especially after the game against Egypt, where we don’t play a good game, where I don’t play a good game. Cristiano Ronaldo did not play the last matches of the World Cup with Portugal, and yet it is Cristiano with Portugal, it is even more than Eden with Belgium.
It is football, there are young people who grow, who want to take the place. When I started at the age of 16 with Lille, I took the place of Michel Bastos or someone else. Players who were there, in place. It’s normal, it’s football.”
At 28-years-old, Leandro Trossard is in his prime years and if he was given more minutes in Qatar then maybe Belgium’s tournament could have been very different.
Now he’s continuing his fine form at Arsenal who are on the brink of Champions League football next season, there’s no doubt Trossard is set to get even more opportunities on the international stage in the near future.
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