Russia 2018: Mourinho slams Belgium players for letting Hazard down

Belgium captain, Eden Hazard with his Chelsea teammate and France midfielder, N'Golo Kante

France are through to the World Cup final, but according to Jose Mourinho one Chelsea player deserves to be there too – Eden Hazard.

There would be little argument from anyone describing Hazard as one of the best players in the world.

He once again showed his quality to the world with a dazzling display in the semi-final with France on Tuesday night, although it was all in vain, with Belgium losing 1-0.

And Mourinho, a pundit for RT during the World Cup in Russia, believes the Chelsea midfielder, who has been linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge this summer, was the only one against France who could hold his head high.

The Manchester United boss told RT: “I think the Belgium players go home with a bad feeling, a feeling that ‘we could do more and better’ a feeling that probably Hazard out of it because he tried absolutely everything, but many other players kept hiding. They are much better than that, for big occasions, big players were not there in the big occasion.

“The majority of the players were not themselves, in big matches you have to be yourself or a bit better. The big match can make you a bit better, that extra adrenaline that extra feeling of ‘how big I am’ can only make you better. If the big occasion makes you worse than you are then you regret and I think the majority of the Belgium players are having this feeling.”

The Chelsea winger has drifted from 4/5 to 11/10 to remain a Blue this summer, but the Spanish giants are a real contender for his signature, with the leading online bookmaker now offering just 6/4 for the 27-year-old to become a Galactico.

“Does Real make me dream less without Zidane?’ Hazard told beIN Sports. “Zidane is someone special, it’s true, but I think Real is everyone’s dream.

“Zidane or no Zidane, the white jersey is special but the blue jersey suits me well so it does not bother me if I stay.

“As I have said at least 100 times, I am at Chelsea and for the moment nobody has made me an offer.”