Hazard makes shock admission about his love for France ahead of semi-final clash

July 9, 2018 By Ali M.

Topics: Eden Hazard, Kylian Mbappe, France, Belgium, FIFA World Cup

The Belgian superstar will face the country where he began his senior career in the World Cup last-four.

On Tuesday, France and Belgium will lock horns in the first of the two highly-anticipated World Cup semi-final matches. This game will see Eden Hazard, who has garnered rave reviews in Russia, come against the country where he began his senior career.

Speaking about Les Bleus ahead of their last-four encounter, the Red Devils ace held nothing but praise for the 1998 World Cup champion. The 27-year-old even admitted to supporting the European giant after witnessing them became dominate world football.

The Chelsea star then made a surprise confession, revealing that he, alongside his brothers, supported France more than their home country. Speaking ahead of the tie, the Belgian superstar said (as per the Daily Mail):

"With my brothers, we have always been more supporters of France than Belgium because we grew up with 98.

It will be a special game for Eden Hazard, tomorrow against France.

"I grew up with 1998. We were maybe more France fans than Belgium at the time." (beIN)#cfc #bel #fra #worldcup pic.twitter.com/zBVFo4XKJg
— Kristof Terreur (@HLNinEngeland) July 9, 2018

"At the time, there wasn't the jersey of Belgium, that's why we wore the one of France.

"I do not want to denigrate the Belgium team of the time, there were very good players, but at that time, it was France."

Eden, despite being one of the most talented attackers in football, even confessed to admiring Deschamps' men. The one player that he highlighted in particular was Kylian Mbappe.

The teenage sensation has three goals under his belt, but his electric performance against Argentina in the round of 16 was what made everyone talking. Furthermore, the fact that the PSG attacker is impressing the entire world at such a young age is a feat of its own and is something Hazard couldn't ignore.

"I have a lot of respect for what he's doing," the Premier League wizard added.

"If Mbappe was watching videos of me when he was younger, now it's me watching videos of him.

"What he does is amazing, especially at his age. In modern football, we have never seen that."

Nonetheless, the Belgium captain will do everything in his power to guide his nation into the final. After eliminating Brazil in the quarter-final, they will head into their tricky semi-final clash with confidence.