Former Chelsea player John Obi Mikel has made shocking revelations about his former teammate Eden Hazard, claiming that the Belgian star did not put in any effort during training and would even refuse to tie up his boots. Mikel, who played alongside Hazard at Stamford Bridge for five years, opened up about their time together and shed light on what Hazard was really like behind-the-scenes.

Lazy in Training

Mikel, who won the Premier League, FA Cup, and Europa League with Hazard, revealed that despite his impressive performances on the pitch, the winger was lazy in training. According to Mikel, Hazard would show up to training without tying his boots and would simply stand there with his hands in his pants. This lack of effort and commitment surprised Mikel, who believes that Hazard could have achieved even more if he had put in the work.

Disregard for Intensity

Mikel also shared that Hazard would mumble when questioned about his intensity by managers and would encourage his teammates to play without him if they threatened not to pass to him. Even Chelsea captain John Terry's demand for more effort from Hazard was met with a dismissive response of "don't disturb me." These revelations paint a picture of a player who did not take training seriously and relied solely on his natural talent.

Jose Mourinho's Criticism

Mikel's claims echo the sentiments of former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho, who had previously described Hazard as "awful" and someone who "doesn't work much" outside of matchdays. Mourinho's comments and Mikel's revelations provide further insight into Hazard's approach to training and his work ethic.

Real Madrid Struggles

After leaving Chelsea for Real Madrid in 2019 in a record-breaking deal, Hazard's time in Spain was marred by injuries. Mikel believes that Hazard's lack of effort in training at Chelsea may have contributed to his fitness issues at Real Madrid. Mikel, who opted to put in the effort during Real Madrid training sessions, suggests that Hazard's body was not accustomed to the extra workload, leading to his fitness struggles.

Retirement and Rejected Offers

Hazard decided to retire from professional football in October this year after his contract with Real Madrid expired. Mikel revealed that Hazard turned down lucrative offers from Saudi Arabian clubs, including a staggering £1 million-a-week deal. According to Mikel, Hazard declined these offers because he already has plenty of money.

Since retiring in 2021, Mikel has shared several stories about his time at Chelsea, including insights into how players could tell if a manager was going to be sacked by club owner Roman Abramovich.