‘That’s my guy’ - Arsenal star Eberechi Eze admits he preferred watching Chelsea legend over Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar growing up

Despite pledging his future to Arsenal, Eze remains unabashed in his praise for Chelsea great Hazard, who amassed extraordinary numbers during his seven-year spell in west London. Across 352 matches, he delivered 110 goals, 92 assists, and a level of creativity unmatched in the league at the time. BBC statistics show he produced 595 chances, attempted 1,441 dribbles, successfully completed 909, and drew an extraordinary 638 fouls, often leaving opponents grasping at thin air. Hazard’s influence went far beyond statistics. His title-winning strike against Crystal Palace in 2015 and his equaliser against Tottenham in the fiery ‘Battle of the Bridge’ became defining moments of an era. For many young players, Eze included, his style existed in a category of its own.

Speaking exclusively to GOAL's Beast Mode On podcast, Eze said: "Eden Hazard was my favourite player to watch. You had Dinho (Ronaldinho), Neymar (Lionel) Messi, (Cristiano) Ronaldo… these guys, you know. Eden Hazard, man."

Asked what elevated Hazard above his contemporaries, Eze added: "Freedom. Freedom. Freedom. He done what he thought was the right thing in that moment. He's not thinking, he's just expressing himself. And you can tell he enjoys…he enjoyed being effective as a player, but also his style of playing football. So, yeah, for me, that's my guy."

Hazard himself has repeatedly spoken lovingly about his time in west London. Reflecting in an earlier interview with The Standard, he called it the standout chapter of his professional career.

"I spent seven years there… it was the best memory of my football career," said Hazard. "My best season was the second season with Mourinho when we won the Premier League and League Cup. The manager was the Special One and it's so hard to explain the feelings after games with the fans all happy."