‘I am not yet like Messi’ – Hazard

Chelsea’s Eden Hazard plays down Lionel Messi comparison

CHELSEA winger Eden Hazard has talked himself down in comparison to Lionel Messi and Zinedine Zidane, saying he’s not yet a true maestro.

Although the Belgian is known for skills, and has shown again this campaign why some rate him as England’s finest attacker, he still feels that there’s much to learn.

“For me, the real artists are Zidane and Ronaldinho,” he told France Football. “[Juan Roman] Riquelme as well for the way he moves and passes the ball.

“And then there is Messi. What he does with the ball is something else. I do not see myself at that level. It is up to others to make such comments. I am not going to proclaim myself an artist like him.

“I just want to bring happiness to the fans. The people who come to the stadium want to enjoy themselves and see a spectacle. It is up to us, the players, to make them happy.

“I have been a creative player ever since I was a child. You cannot practice it. Of course, I have worked hard to get where I am, but it is a skill I have that I have improved. It is natural to me. But you have to do it at the right time.

“The ball is my friend. We go way back. He is my most faithful friend. I caress the ball, but that is not always easy when I dribble. I can caress it when I shoot, like Thierry Henry. I can treat the ball like a woman, like a friend, like an elderly person.” – Kickoff.com