Journalist tells Belgium's Eden Hazard he has put on weight, then asks him for selfie
Belgium attacker Eden Hazard was left stunned by a journalist who told him he had put on weight – and then requested a selfie
Belgium attacker Eden Hazard was left stunned by a journalist at a World Cup press conference on Tuesday who told him he had put on weight – and then requested a selfie from the Real Madrid winger.
Hazard has faced scrutiny over his weight and has been troubled by injuries ever since leaving Chelsea for Real Madrid in 2019.
The 31-year-old has been unable to replicate his Premier League form in Spain and has also struggled in a lacklustre start for Belgium at Qatar 2022.
On Tuesday, he was irritated by an Egyptian journalist who said to him: "I have noticed that you have put on weight."
The former Lille attacker did not initially understand what was being said and asked the journalist to repeat the question.
Visibly annoyed, Hazard then replied: "I don't have much to say about that. Except it's not true. I'll do anything to be ready."
And according to Belgian newspaper Nieuwsblad, the same reporter asked Hazard for a selfie at the end of the press conference.
Get FourFourTwo Newsletter
The best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.
Unimpressed by that request, Hazard said no.
Belgium lie third in Group F and at are risk of missing out on the knockout stages. The Red Devils face Croatia in their final group game on Thursday.
Ben Hayward is a European football writer and Tottenham Hotspur fan with over 15 years’ experience, he has covered games all over the world - including three World Cups, several Champions League finals, Euros, Copa America - and has spent much of that time in Spain. Ben speaks English and Spanish, currently dividing his time between Barcelona and London, covering all the big talking points of the weekend on FFT: he’s also written several list features and interviewed Guglielmo Vicario for the magazine.