One Premier League star has compared Chelsea legend Eden Hazard to Cristiano Ronaldo and decided which one was better in their prime.
Everyone knows that Hazard’s Real Madrid move did not pan out and it’s a shame for football fans that he has since retired.
But it’s impossible – especially for Chelsea fans – to forget how great he was during his seven-year spell at Stamford Bridge.
Was he as good as Manchester United and Real Madrid great Ronaldo, however? One current Premier League winger has his say.
Jeremy Doku decides between Eden Hazard and Cristiano Ronaldo
Manchester City’s Jeremy Doku was asked to rank three of the greatest widemen of all time: Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Eden Hazard.
He did not hesitate to call Messi the “best player ever” but took some time to decide between the other two.
“Second is difficult for me because obviously, in terms of statistics and everything, Ronaldo comes second,” Doku said on Sky Sports Premier League. “As a player that I like to watch, it’s Eden because of his way of playing.
“But for the career that he has had and the longevity, I have to put Ronaldo second. I’ll put Eden third but who would I like to watch play again? I’ll say Eden.”
Former Chelsea target Doku then explained whether he tries to emulate his compatriot, Hazard, as he looks to make his mark in the Premier League for Man City.
“No, I’ve not modelled my game on him but I like to watch him. Obviously I like to watch him. He’s Belgian as well, and we play the same position, but we have different types of qualities. He’s a dribbler and I’m a dribbler so I like to watch him a lot.”
Eden Hazard vs Cristiano Ronaldo stats comparison
Eden Hazard and Cristiano Ronaldo’s overall careers cannot be compared because of what the latter has achieved in over two decades as a professional footballer.
However, the pair’s Premier League legacies are fairly similar. Both provided so many match-winning moments and passed the so-called ‘eye test’ with their flamboyant styles of play.
| Eden Hazard (Premier League) | Cristiano Ronaldo (Premier League) | |
| Appearances | 245 | 236 |
| Goals | 85 | 103 |
| Assists | 54 | 37 |
| G/A per game | 0.57 | 0.59 |
Perhaps what separates the two is that Ronaldo won three Premier League titles at Man Utd, whereas Hazard only won two at Chelsea.
But Blues fans would be quick to point out that the Belgian was probably more valuable to his team, given the absence of another superstar like Wayne Rooney alongside him.
The reality is that there isn’t a definitive answer. All we know is that Hazard deserves to at least be compared to Ronaldo, Mohamed Salah and other greats of the game.
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