From Real Madrid Star to “Family Taxi Driver”: Eden Hazard Opens Up About Life After Football Retirement

Former Real Madrid and Chelsea star Eden Hazard has surprised fans by revealing how dramatically his life has changed since retiring from professional football. Nearly three years after hanging up his boots following a career impacted by injuries, the Belgian icon says he now enjoys a quieter lifestyle focused entirely on family — joking that he feels “more like a taxi driver than a footballer.”

In an interview with The Guardian, Hazard explained that he has found peace and fulfillment away from the pressures of elite football. The 35-year-old now prioritizes spending time with his wife and five children, embracing a routine centered on everyday family life rather than competition and global attention.

Living in Madrid with his family, Hazard described how much of his daily schedule involves driving his children to school, training sessions, and activities — simple moments he rarely experienced during his playing career due to travel, matches, and constant professional demands.

The former Belgian international reflected on how quickly life moves and admitted that while football was once his greatest passion, he now values personal experiences and family time more than trophies or achievements on the pitch.

Hazard also looked back on his career journey, from his brilliant years at Chelsea — where he became one of the Premier League’s most electrifying players — to his challenging spell at Real Madrid, where recurring injuries limited his impact. Despite those difficulties, he says he holds positive memories of every stage of his professional path.

Looking ahead, Hazard shared that his ideal future is simple: becoming a happy grandfather surrounded by family. Away from media pressure and physical demands, he now enjoys walks, family outings, and a slower rhythm of life that once seemed impossible during his playing days.

Although he admits missing certain aspects of football, Hazard says his identity today is defined less by stadiums and titles and more by his role as a father and husband — a transition that has brought him genuine happiness beyond the game.