Who is Eden Hazard? Facts on Chelsea talisman, his earnings and career highlights

Eden Hazard is widely regarded as one of the best footballers in the world, often drawing comparisons with Ballon d'Or winners Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. The 26-year-old midfielder has played more than 200 games for Premier League club Chelsea and has earned 76 caps for the Belgium national team. He has been described by former England midfielder Frank Lampard as the most skilful player he has ever played with.

Who is Eden Hazard?

Eden Hazard started his football career at his hometown club Royal Stade Brainois at the age of four, and his prodigious talent on the ball caught the eye of the local coaches. The young footballer eventually moved on to Tubize, where he was watched by a scout from French club Lille. The scout was sufficiently impressed with his performances at a local tournament to persuade Lille to sign him.

Hazard moved to Lille at the age of 14 and made his first start for the club's senior team two years later in a friendly against Club Brugge. The Belgian soon established himself as a key player for the Ligue 1 side and was instrumental in them clinching their first league and French Cup double in more than half a century in the 2010-11 season.

Hazard's sparkling performances caught the eye of several big clubs across Europe, with the midfielder eventually opting to join Premier League side Chelsea for a reported fee of £32m ($40m) in June 2012. He won the Europa League in his first season in English football, before inspiring the Blues to a Premier League and League Cup double in the 2014-15 season. The midfielder was named the Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year and the Players' Player of the Year for his contributions to Chelsea's success that year.

Career highlights

• November 2007: Makes debut for Lille's senior team in a friendly against Club Brugge at the age of 16
• September 2008: Becomes youngest goalscorer in Lille's history by finding the net in a 3-2 win over Auxerre; named French football's young player of the year at the end of the season
• November 2008: Makes senior debut for Belgium in a friendly against Luxembourg
• May 2010: Named young player of the year for second consecutive season, but loses out on Ligue 1 Player of the Year award to Lisandro Lopez
• May 2011: Becomes youngest ever player to win Ligue 1 Player of the Year award; Lille clinch Ligue 1 title and French Cup
• October 2011: Scores first goal for Belgium in a Euro 2012 qualifying win over Kazakhstan
• May 2012: Named Ligue 1 Player of the Year for second consecutive season
• June 2012: Joins Chelsea for a reported transfer fee of £32m
• July 2012: Starts and scores in Chelsea debut against Seattle Sounders in the United States
• April 2014: Wins PFA Young Player of the Year award but finishes as runner-up to Luis Suarez for the PFA Player of the Year award
• April 2015: Named PFA Player of the Year; Chelsea go on to win their first Premier League title in five years
• June 2015: Captains Belgium for the first time in a friendly against France

How much are Eden Hazard's earnings?

Hazard earned an estimated $22m (£17.6m), putting him 85th on Forbes's list of the world's highest paid athletes for 2016. He has a contract worth an estimated $16m with Chelsea that runs until the summer of 2020. His biggest endorsement deal is with US sportswear giant Nike.

Who are Eden Hazard's brothers?

Hazard is the eldest of four children. His three younger brothers are all footballers – Thorgan plays for German club Borussia Monchengladbach, while Kylian represents Hungarian club Ujpest. The youngest brother, Ethan, is member of Tubize's youth academy.

Could Eden Hazard leave Chelsea?

Reports emerged in the Spanish and British press in March 2017 suggesting that Real Madrid were planning to make a big-money move for Hazard. The Belgium international has said in an interview that he would only leave Chelsea on a high, saying: "If I ever leave, it'll be after winning a championship." Chelsea are on course to win the 2016-17 Premier League title, so a summer switch to the Spanish capital appears a possibility.