Eden Hazard Recalls How Retiring Joe Cole Convinced Him to Join Chelsea in 2012
Eden Hazard has paid tribute to Joe Cole on the occasion of his retirement, recalling how his former teammate at French side Lille convinced him to join Chelsea six years ago.
Cole, who made 281 appearances for Chelsea between 2003 and 2010, announced his retirement at the age of 37, with an emotional statement on Tuesday.
Tributes have been pouring in for the former England international and Hazard paid special thanks to Cole, reminding Chelsea fans that it was his ex-Lille teammate who convinced him to sign for the Blues in 2012.
"I spoke to him before I signed for Chelsea. Every day, seriously, he was telling me that Chelsea was the best club for me," said Hazard (via Twitter).
"He said Chelsea was a big club where you can win trophies every season. For that reason I signed, so thank you, Joe Cole!"
Cole joined Lille on loan from Liverpool in the 2011/12 season, where he played alongside Hazard, who had already caught the eye of several major European teams with his performances.
At the time of his signing, Hazard said Cole had been a big influence on his decision-making process.
"I spoke to Joe Cole and what he said above all was that Chelsea was the right club for me," he said.
"As somebody who loves the club himself, he said he could really see me in the shirt so, when I see him next, I'll tell him he was right."
Hazard signed for a fee of £32m and is now priced among the most valuable players in the world after a brilliant World Cup with Belgium and a stellar start to the Premier League campaign.
