Hazard’s Homecoming: Belgian Maestro Rolls Back the Years at The Bridge

Some players leave memories; Eden Hazard leaves moments. Back at Stamford Bridge on Saturday 11 October, the Chelsea legend treated a packed house to a reminder of what made him box office, even as Liverpool’s old boys pinched it 1-0.

The occasion

With the Premier League on pause, Chelsea and Liverpool’s legends squared off to raise funds for their Foundations — and to give supporters a hefty dose of nostalgia. John Terry and Petr Cech dusted off the cobwebs for the Blues, while the Merseysiders rolled out the likes of Robbie Keane and Ryan Babel, the latter bagging the decisive strike.

Hazard’s 70-minute show

Hazard, now 34 and two years into retirement, started off that familiar left side, dovetailing with Diego Costa. From the first whistle the brain looked razor sharp: popping up between the lines, taking it on the half-turn, and slaloming into traffic like he’d never been away. It was a polished 70-minute cameo — the legs a fraction lighter, perhaps, but the touch and timing pure vintage.

On 65 minutes, the script nearly wrote itself. After spraying play wide, Hazard ghosted into the area, sold a dummy, took the return and looked set to draw first blood; the finish just evaded him. No goal, but a sequence that screamed prime Eden — deception, movement, and that velvet control.

There was flair too. A cheeky rabona cross drew a collective gasp, the kind of audacity that turned defenders inside-out for a living. If anyone wondered whether the magic dust had blown away, they got their answer.

Class, not rust

You could see he’s lost half a yard since the title-winning days, but his speed of thought still runs laps around most. One step ahead of the Liverpool backline, his first touch set the tempo and his passing angles split red shirts all afternoon. And for the record: 110 goals in Chelsea blue — eighth on the club’s all-time list — remains a staggering return for a wide man.

The Bridge reacts

The stadium announcer barely finished his introduction before a warm ovation rolled around SW6. At the break, Hazard told the crowd how good it felt to be back and hoped the Blues could nick one — and when he was eventually subbed, he left to a deserved standing ovation. Online, supporters echoed the sentiment: he still glides, he still sees it early, and he still lifts people out of their seats. One summed it up neatly — he may have parked the boots, but the genius is still on the meter.

Costa being Costa

No legends game is complete without a bit of needle, and Diego Costa obliged in his running battle with Martin Skrtel. It felt like 2015 all over again — and The Bridge lapped it up.

The verdict

Liverpool’s legends take the bragging rights thanks to Babel’s winner, but the day belonged to a returning artist. Hazard didn’t need a goal to steal the show; the swagger, the shimmies and the invention were enough to remind everyone why he was the Premier League’s great entertainer.

If you fancy sizing up form, nostalgia or the next big fixture, our hub for best betting sites has you covered — but today was about celebration, not stakes.

Final word

He came, he delighted, he waved — and he proved what we suspected: class doesn’t retire, it just paces itself. For Chelsea fans, Hazard’s homecoming was a postcard from a golden era, signed with one last flourish.