TheGoodJoe:


Zinedine Zidane Recommends Lille’s Eden Hazard To Real Madrid

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He might not be a confirmed member of Florentino Perez's Real Madrid team yet, but Zinedine Zidane has today recommended a player for the Spanish club to sign: Eden Hazard.

The Belgian international is one of the most highly-rated youngsters in Europe at the moment and is currently plying his trade with Lille in France.

This season he has been named as the best young player in Ligue 1 and is capable of playing on the wings or in the centre of midfield.

His talent and versatility have reportedly earned him interest from Barcelona and Arsenal, however, now Zidane has recommended him to Madrid.

Speaking to De Morgen, the French legend said, "I would take Hazard to Madrid with my eyes closed."

Whether or not Perez and the new regime at Madrid will be interested in players with a relatively low-profile such as Hazard is doubtful, but there is no questioning that he is a dangerous player at his best.

This season he has put in some superb display in Ligue 1 and is unlikely to cost Madrid too much if they do decide to sign him.

Perez is set to take over as president of the Spanish club on June 1, after the last potential candidate, Eduardo Garcia, failed to provide the guarantee needed to run.

James Walker-Roberts, Goal.com

https://www.goal.com/en/news/90/french-football/2009/05/29/1293532/zinedine-zidane-recommends-lilles-eden-hazard-to-real-madrid

TheGoodJoe:


If Hazard was at Barcelona all these years, he would have earned it. However, his talent ability and consistency at the highest level makes him a World Class player. No denying it. Neymar's multiple nomination as the best player in the World is a good debate but let him hit a decade highs.

TheGoodJoe:


For a player to be tagged World Class, the player has to be performing at the highest level for at least 10 years.

Most of this players tagged World Class are top quality players, not World class.

Even Van Dijk isn't. He is a top quality player. If he continues with this form for at least a decade, then we can tag him and the others World class.

Xavi, Iniesta, Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Xabi Alonso, Ribery, Robben etc. Players who dominated the game for a decade or more. That is playing at the highest level for a long time.

With this, Aubameyang and the others are not World Class players. Certainly, top quality.

elyte89:
C as dem just dey dash world class anyaw for this thread courtesy of andrew444


Even to players dt av never won any individual award let alone of winning trophy/laurels in deir cabinet

edi287:

Van Dijk is world class. Kaka wasn't consistent for 10 years yet he was viewed as WC in his prime.
You can be world class and not have longevity.

andrew444:


So anybody zidane recommended is world class ?

Have you forget Neymar has been in the eyes of all European club since the days of Santos ?

Hazard at Lille is bang average ,hazard at Chelsea is even bang average till recently he became world class

Neymar has been class going to 6 years now ,barring injury dude will get you nothing less than 30 goals per season ,should i also talk about the assists?

Telling me hazard is world class at Lille is like telling me Nicolas Pepe is world class at Lille ,playing from the flank and got more better goal ratio than hazard compared to hazard days at Lille .
Hazard was an average player at Lille and even Chelsea till the past 3 years or so

edi287:

Van Dijk is world class. Kaka wasn't consistent for 10 years yet he was viewed as WC in his prime.
You can be world class and not have longevity.

andrew444:


Hazard is world class no doubt but my argument is telling me he is world class at Lille ,dude was average.

Neymar has been regarded as world class at Santos,but I won't agree with that

neymar only became world class at his Barca second season

TheGoodJoe:


For a player to be tagged World Class, the player has to be performing at the highest level for at least 10 years.

Most of this players tagged World Class are top quality players, not World class.

Even Van Dijk isn't. He is a top quality player. If he continues with this form for at least a decade, then we can tag him and the others World class.

Xavi, Iniesta, Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Xabi Alonso, Ribery, Robben etc. Players who dominated the game for a decade or more. That is playing at the highest level for a long time.

With this, Aubameyang and the others are not World Class players. Certainly, top quality.

TheGoodJoe:


Where did you get World class at Lille? I said he performed at a high level at Lille. Hazard was performing at a very high level. I remember then because he was one of the footballing raves.

TheGoodJoe:


You said Hazard was average which was not true. He was far from it and the best young player in Ligue 1. He was one of the hottest youngsters in Europe.

Finito.

iSlayer2:



This is not accurate at all. Several factors can hamper steady top performances from players over time. It doesn't take away anything from their quality. From your definition Kaka is not world class or even Modric. Also your point means young players can't be world class too. So Hazard, Aguero, Kante, Mbappe, Neymar etc are not world class.

iSlayer2:



This is not accurate at all. Several factors can hamper steady top performances from players over time. It doesn't take away anything from their quality. From your definition Kaka is not world class or even Modric. Also your point means young players can't be world class too. So Hazard, Aguero, Kante, Mbappe, Neymar etc are not world class.

andrew444:


lol BT like seriously you believe ?


How can someone say koullibally is not world class and auba ?

If there is an Epl defender better than koullibally it should be van dijk ,but I still even doubt self .

andrew444:


Dude was average at Lille

TheGoodJoe:


I already stated Hazard is. Kaka has a good debate because he was on the highest level for six years and won the Ballon D'Or. Aguero is World Class. He has been on the highest level for over ten years. Keep in mind he was a key player for Independiente before his exploits at Atletico Madrid.

Kante is not, Neymar has a debate being among the top three players in the World for about three seasons and his longevity of over the years.

I just want people to understand that not every Tom, dick and Harry with some brilliant seasons become World class.

andrew444:


You said world class at Lille ,I fear

TheGoodJoe:


They are not World class players. Maybe except Hazard because he was up there as one of the best players in the World when he was at Lille. In a small club as that to pull off such brilliant performances, means he was operating at a very high level. Until now in Chelsea to me makes him a World class player.

Neymar has been up there too from his Santos days where he later became the best player in the whole of South America, to Barcelona and still doing his thing at PSG but, Neymar has not been up there up to ten years. However, in two or more years, if he keeps performing at a high level, he will be certainly a World class player.

So I can only point at Hazard.

elyte89:
C as dem just dey dash world class anyaw for this thread courtesy of andrew444


Even to players dt av never won any individual award let alone of winning trophy/laurels in deir cabinet

TheGoodJoe:




Where did you get World Class at Lille? I said he was one of the best players in the World at Lille. Not he was a World Class player. I said it takes a long time to become World Class.

Hazard was far from average. He was the best young player Ligue 1.

Finito.

andrew444:


He was not one of the best player in the world at lille

He was average at lille

Finito

isan:
OK valdes won everything is he a world class goalkeeper?

andrew444:


He was not one of the best player in the world at lille

He was average at lille

Finito

TheGoodJoe:


"I am pleased that teams like Arsenal and Real Madrid want to sign me,” before adding, “I know that Barcelona and Inter like me, but I am thrilled to play with Real Madrid or Arsenal," Hazard said a few weeks ago."

https://www.goal.com/en/news/11/transfer-zone/2009/12/22/1704028/lille-starlet-eden-hazard-prefers-barcelona-move-report

You are free to keep saying average player.

TheGoodJoe:




Where did you get World Class at Lille? I[b] said he was one of the best players in the World at Lille. Not he was a World Class player.[/b] I said it takes a long time to become World Class.

Hazard was far from average. He was the best young player Ligue 1.

Finito.

TheGoodJoe:


For a player to be tagged World Class, the player has to be performing at the highest level for at least 10 years.

Most of this players tagged World Class are top quality players, not World class.

Even Van Dijk isn't. He is a top quality player. If he continues with this form for at least a decade, then we can tag him and the others World class.

Xavi, Iniesta, Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Xabi Alonso, Ribery, Robben etc. Players who dominated the game for a decade or more. That is playing at the highest level for a long time.

With this, Aubameyang and the others are not World Class players. Certainly, top quality.

TheGoodJoe:


Kaka can debate with the Ballon D'Or. To me, two or three sails but the Ballon D'Or can be the debate. However, he does not fit my criteria. However, six years in the highest stage plus the Ballon D'Or can sail.

However, the likes of Mane, Salah, Mbappe are far from it.

Van Dijk. At all. He still has a long way to go to be tagged World class. High quality.

andrew444:


Dude was average at Lille

jihday:
@ 2/3 ballon d'or, how many players can boast of 2? the way I see it the Messi/Ronaldo have gotten people to forget how it used to be in football. I think 10 is too much maybe 5yrs consistency at the top level and winning laurels along the way should mean you are world class

jihday:
he wasn't, he was very good. won French league player of the season I think twice sef he also led Lille to the league

chrisooblog:
i concur remember saying something similar some years back

my criteria for being world class:

1. be an exceptional performer in your role which all and sundry will acknowledge (not just club fans and country men)

2. personal awards won (best goalkeeper, top scorer, team of tournament etc)

3. churning out consistent good sometimes great performances over a long period of time for club and country

4. trophies won club or country

now if a player ticks all the boxes in the above mentioned criteria then i would consider him world class

andrew444:


E no mean

Yes he was good at Lille ,but world class ? Hello No

Old and washed John utaka won the French league with montepellier and was very vital ,they won it ahead of a psg team with zlatan .