Eden Hazard has told Sky Sports his ambition to one day win the Ballon d’Or and insists there is no reason why he could not do it in England with Chelsea.
Victory over West Brom on Friday will see Chelsea crowned Premier League champions for the second time in three seasons and, just as in 2014-15, Hazard has played a key role, contributing 15 goals and five assists in 33 appearances.
Hazard lost out to teammate N’Golo Kante in the voting for PFA Player of the Year and FWA Footballer of the Year, but still believes he is capable of raising his game to the level of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to become considered the best player in the world.
“I hope to win the Ballon d’Or one day,” he said. “It’s in my mind. If I don’t, it won’t be a problem. I try to make a good career — the best I can — but I think some other players deserve to win it also.
“When Ronaldo and Messi retire, maybe it will be another couple of players like Neymar, Paulo Dybala or Antoine Griezmann, who knows? We will see. It’s not something I think too much about.”
Ronaldo was the last Premier League player to win the award after leading Manchester United to a league and Champions League double in 2008, and Hazard thinks he could emulate the Portuguese superstar’s feat if he inspires Chelsea to claim the biggest trophies next season.
“Could I win it? If I play next season, we win the Champions League and I win the World Cup with Belgium, why not?” he said.
“In the last 10 years the Ballon d’Or winners play in Spain, but it’s not automatic. If a player is better in England, he will win it.”
