Eden Hazard hopes Nations League form for Belgium can spark revival in Real Madrid career

On the evening of Real Madrid’s arrival back in the Spanish capital parading the club’s 14th European Cup, Eden Hazard took the microphone that was being passed around as the heroes of the victory over Liverpool celebrated at the city’s Cibeles fountain. It was a surprising gesture. Hazard was not, by any stretch of the imagination, one of the campaign’s heroes.

Far from it. The most expensive purchase in Madrid’s current squad, the man at the top of the club’s salary scale, played a mere eight minutes in the rollercoaster ride through comeback after comeback that was his team’s journey to Paris last month.

He sat on the bench through the 1-0 win over Liverpool. He contributed a mere seven starts to the club’s Liga triumph, and no goals. His last assist in the league was on the first day of the season.

What Hazard wanted at Cibeles was not to steal other players’ deserved limelight, but to make an apologetic promise. “Madridistas,” Hazard told the crowd. “I have been here for three seasons with lots of injuries and things. Next year, I will be giving everything for you.”

Evidence that may not be an empty promise reached Madrid supporters on Wednesday evening, through highlights from Belgium’s 6-1 Uefa Nations League thumping of Poland in Brussels.

Hazard was in his county’s line-up at kick-off, the first time he had started a match for anybody since January, and the sternest test yet of the calf problem that has troubled him for the best part of two years, and for which he underwent surgery in March.

Less than five minutes into the game, a neat backheel from Hazard, following a gently-paced slalom, set up Michy Batshuayi, whose ‘goal’ was ruled out for a narrow offside. After Poland had taken the lead, Hazard’s disguised