Villehan: Hazard has been trapped in a "fame and fortune vortex", and the Magic Birds almost coached the Belgian team

Former Belgian star Ville Hayn talked about the reasons why Hazard retired early in a football program. It is true that Hazard has a serious injury problem. He is in poor health in the later stage of his career, but his technical ability is still there and he has not reached the stage of "must retire". Villhein said: Hazard has been trapped in a "fame and fortune vortex". When he couldn't make it to the Bernabeu, he could join a club with a slightly lower level. Of course, teams of Atletico Madrid and Leverkusen, naturally they can't afford such high salaries. If Hazard went to the rich team in the Fringe League, his annual salary would still be able to maintain his standards in Real Madrid, but his reputation may be bad. People will discuss his early thirties and he would not be able to survive in the mainstream league.

Hazard needs to gain both fame and fortune, but the actual situation has not met his requirements. This is the "fame and fortune vortex" he has been trapped in, which has allowed him to end his player career early. Mourinho once said that if De Bruyne's generation cannot receive important honors, Belgian football will probably have to wait for twenty years if it wants to usher in the next wave of honors. What many people don’t know is that the Magic Birds almost coached the Belgian team. The Belgian Football Association once invited the famous Portuguese coach, and both sides also talked about the more in-depth stage. During the European Cup last year, the Football Association was discussing the possibility of Mourinho coaching the Belgian team, and Tedesco had already felt overwhelmed at the beginning, and the national team was on a downward verge. If the Magic Birds coach Belgium, maybe he is not a long-term candidate, but he may be able to get the team back to their mental state in the short term.

In other words, Mourinho almost became the head coach of the Belgian team, why did the two sides not make a move in the end? Many people remember that the Magic Birds said more than ten years ago: "I am the son of the Portuguese, and I will not coach other national teams." In fact, Mourinho is very clear that he does not have the coaching experience of the national team, and the Magic Birds are not willing to take risks in the later stages of his coaching career. It is more reliable to coach the club, so both sides pass by. However, behind this unfinished cooperation, there may be a deeper conflict in football philosophy. Mourinho's tactical system is known for his discipline and defensive counterattack, while Belgian "Golden Generation" players have long been accustomed to the club-level free offensive style. De Bruyne once hinted in an interview: "The national team needs continuity, not to start over." This statement was interpreted by the outside world as a hidden concern for radical change.

What is more subtle is the obstacle to the salary structure. According to the Belgian Evening News, the Football Association can only provide an annual salary of 2.8 million euros, which is only 1/3 of Mourinho's income in the Rome club. This gap has put the negotiations in a deadlock, after all, the business value of Magic Bird has long surpassed the scope of ordinary national team coaches. Interestingly, at that time, Belgian sponsor PlaySports proposed to make up for the difference through personal endorsement, but Mourinho declined on the grounds that "football should remain pure". Villehan's analysis was very sharp. Hazard is indeed in the most dangerous dilemma of professional players - he cannot let go of his figure and adapt to reality, and cannot maintain his peak state. This contradiction eventually pushed him to the end of retirement, which is sad but thought-provoking.

In fact, cases like Hazard are not uncommon in European football. Many talented players will face the choice of "resisting the next best" later in their careers. Some people, like Ibrahimovic, continue their football life while maintaining their superstar style; some, like Torres, are willing to return to their parent team Atletico Madrid with their feelings to end their careers. These choices are not about right or wrong. The key is that the player can deny the reality and let go of his obsession. Therefore, Hazard has fallen into the "famous vortex of fame and fortune", which is also something that many talented teenagers need to avoid. In addition, Villehan also mentioned that Belgian football does not have a "golden second generation" and after Lukaku, there are no particularly outstanding superstars. If Hazard changes the environment and sticks to it, he will still be the mainstay of the national team.

The author believes that Hazard's dilemma reflects a common phenomenon in contemporary professional sports: when the business value cannot match the level of competition, how should players deal with it themselves? In the era of social media, stars not only have to face the ups and downs of their competitive state, but also have to bear the judgment of their commercial value from the outside world. This double pressure often accelerates a player's career decline. Perhaps, Hazard's story reminds young players: career planning should not only focus on the scenery at the peak, but also be prepared for possible troughs. The "Vortex of fame and fortune" is important, but knowing how to make choices at the right time is the key to extending the life of a career. After all, rather than struggling in the vortex, it is better to go ashore in time and retain the last dignity.