Pro Sports

Belgium's Hazard rewards coach's faith with stellar display

Posted June 26, 2016 7:00 am

By DANIELLA MATAR

Belgium's Eden Hazard, right, celebrates scoring his side's 3rd goal during the Euro 2016 round of 16 soccer match between Hungary and Belgium, at the Stadium municipal in Toulouse, France, Sunday, June 26, 2016. Eden Hazard scored one goal and set up another to give Belgium a 4-0 win over Hungary and a spot European Championship quarterfinals. (AP Photo/Francois Mori) The Associated Press

TOULOUSE, France (AP) - In undoubtedly his best performance in a Belgian shirt, Eden Hazard showed exactly why his coach made him captain of the team.

Hazard was the driving force behind Belgium's 4-0 drubbing of Hungary in a round of 16-match at the European Championship on Sunday.

And Hazard wasn't just impressive in attack. The 25-year-old worked tirelessly in defense too as Belgium delivered perhaps the best team performance at Euro 2016.

"There are a lot of people that were absolutely amazed that I gave the captain's armband to Eden Hazard," Belgium coach Marc Wilmots said.

"But you need to let this little man grow up. He doesn't do a lot of talking. But he does his talking on the pitch. So I wasn't really amazed by that. I know how much potential he has ... I think that it was almost impossible to take the ball off him tonight."

Wilmots faced a lot of criticism when he handed the captain's armband to Hazard after Vincent Kompany was ruled out of the tournament with a thigh injury.

But the Chelsea forward, who was so deeply disappointing during the last Premier League season, is proving all the doubters wrong - especially in the win over Hungary that means Belgium plays Wales in the quarterfinals on Friday in Lille. That will be a homecoming of sorts for Hazard as he started his career at Lille.

Hazard capped a brilliant night in a dizzying two-minute spell late on in the match. Two minutes after setting up Michy Batshuayi's goal in the 78th minute, he scored a spectacular solo effort of his own, twisting his way past three Hungary defenders before curling a shot into the bottom corner and racing over to celebrate with the whole bench.

"He played very well today and that's the Eden Hazard we want to see," said goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, his teammate at Chelsea as well as the national team.

"Off the pitch we have as well a lot of players with a lot of experience that lead the team as well, but he's a good captain and I don't think it gives him extra pressure."

Hazard has rarely, if ever, played this well for his national side. At the 2014 World Cup in Brazil he was strangely subdued and symptomatic of a lackluster campaign that ended with a quarterfinal defeat to Argentina.

He knows it too. "Yes," said a smiling Hazard, when asked if it was his best performance for his country.

Belgium's Eden Hazard, 2nd left, celebrates after scoring his sideâs third goal during the Euro 2016 round of 16 soccer match between Hungary and Belgium, at the Stadium municipal in Toulouse, France, Sunday, June 26, 2016. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner) The Associated Press

Belgium's Eden Hazard scores his side's third goal during the Euro 2016 round of 16 soccer match between Hungary and Belgium, at the Stadium municipal in Toulouse, France, Sunday, June 26, 2016. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek) The Associated Press

Belgium's Eden Hazard reacts during the Euro 2016 round of 16 soccer match between Hungary and Belgium, at the Stadium municipal in Toulouse, France, Sunday, June 26, 2016. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek) The Associated Press

Belgium's Eden Hazard jumps past Hungary's Richard Guzmics during the Euro 2016 round of 16 soccer match between Hungary and Belgium, at the Stadium municipal in Toulouse, France, Sunday, June 26, 2016. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek) The Associated Press

Belgium's Eden Hazard, left, walks off the pitch with his coach, Marc Wilmots, at half-time during the Euro 2016 round of 16 soccer match between Hungary and Belgium, at the Stadium municipal in Toulouse, France, Sunday, June 26, 2016. (AP Photo/Francois Mori) The Associated Press

Belgium's goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, center, celebrates with Toby Alderweireld, right, at the end of the Euro 2016 round of 16 soccer match between Hungary and Belgium, at the Stadium municipal in Toulouse, France, Sunday, June 26, 2016. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner) The Associated Press

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