Hazard: 'I Didn't Want Real Madrid's No. 7; Thought Modric Would Give Me No. 10'

T.E (Elbotola)

19 May 2026at12:39

Retired Belgian star Eden Hazard has confirmed he did not want to wear the No. 7 shirt after his move to Real Madrid, citing the immense historical value of the number following Cristiano Ronaldo's legendary era.

In an interview with French channel Canal+, Hazard revealed that he did not request the No. 7 jersey upon his arrival at the Royal Club in 2019. He explained that he preferred to wear the No. 10, but Croatian midfielder Luka Modric held onto his shirt, which ultimately led Hazard to choose No. 7.

The 35-year-old stated: "I didn't want the No. 7. I wanted Modric's No. 10. I asked him for it, and I thought he would say, 'Okay, take it,' but he didn't; he didn't give it to me. It wasn't difficult to succeed Cristiano at Real Madrid, because in my opinion, I wasn't there to replace him."

The player, who retired in 2023, added: "It was the media that kept saying I would replace Ronaldo. I think my playing style is completely different from his. I couldn't score 60 or 70 goals a year. In fact, throughout my career, I barely scored that many goals."

"I went there to play as Eden, not to replace Cristiano. But, as often happens, things didn't go well," Hazard concluded, referring to his Real Madrid career which was entirely plagued by injuries.

Q&A

What shirt number did Eden Hazard initially want at Real Madrid?

Eden Hazard initially wanted the No. 10 shirt when he joined Real Madrid in 2019. He asked Luka Modric for it, but the Croatian midfielder chose to keep his number, leading Hazard to take the No. 7 instead.

Why did Eden Hazard not want Real Madrid's No. 7 shirt?

Eden Hazard did not want Real Madrid's No. 7 shirt due to the immense historical value and legacy associated with it, especially after Cristiano Ronaldo's era. He felt his playing style was different and he wasn't there to replace Ronaldo.

How did Eden Hazard view his role compared to Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid?

Eden Hazard viewed his role at Real Madrid as playing as himself, not as a replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo. He acknowledged their different playing styles, stating he couldn't match Ronaldo's prolific goal-scoring ability. Unfortunately, his time was plagued by injuries.