On Wednesday the football world was treated to a masterclass from Eden Hazard, as the Chelsea star scored a contender for goal of the season against Liverpool in the Carabao Cup.
The Belgian winger was a second-half substitute, but made his presence felt as he scored the winner to help the Blues advance to the next stage of the competition.
That goal was special, and in the succeeding hours it has enacted debate between fans over who the better player is between Hazard and Neymar.
Neymar is less influential in big games
The Liverpool game is just one, but there have been numerous occasions where Neymar has failed to shine when playing against big opposition. It has been evident since he joined PSG and it was once again evident during the World Cup.
Neymar was simply lost when Brazil played against Belgium, just like he was when PSG faced Real Madrid in the last 16 stage of the Champions League last season (even before getting injured). The case of Hazard is far different and the Belgian has consistently proved to be a big game player.
In the national team, he is a beast and not much can be said of his impressive outings for Chelsea each season. Hazard almost always shows up against the big guns, as evidenced in the Blues’ Carabao Cup win over Liverpool. He just knows the right moment to shine.
The best players are not always the ones who have good numbers when it comes to goals and assists; showing up in the big games is equally critical, and Hazard is miles ahead of Neymar in that regard.
Hazard is more complete
Sometimes talent is not the most important thing in the development of a footballer. Sometimes how complete a player is also counts a lot in determining how his career turns out. Hazard does not lack any of the aforementioned. The Chelsea star has played under different managers and in different positions but has always thrived under each system.
The 27-year-old has played as a left-winger, right-winger, no.10 and sometimes as a false nine. Neymar is also versatile, but lacks Hazard’s discipline to thrive under this many positions. In the last seven days, both players have tested themselves against Jurgen Klopp’s high-pressing Liverpool side.
But whiles Neymar struggled to make an impact for 90 minutes, Hazard needed just an half an hour to make the Anfield crowd and the world in general feel his presence. One match is not enough a yardstick to judge a player, but consistency-wise Hazard simply trumps the Brazilian.
Hazard is more of a team player
One big difference between Eden Hazard and Neymar is that the former is a much better team player. Why such an attribute gives Hazard an advantage is because the Chelsea star is able to play to the strengths of his teammates
Neymar is very talented, but a low point of his game is that he is selfish and normally wants to play on his own. So what makes Hazard better? The Belgian has proven time and again that he can be the main man wherever he plays and irrespective of the team he plays in.
Whether Lille, Belgium or Chelsea, Hazard has always been able to pull his colleagues along and his selfless play often brings out the best in his teammates too. Neymar left Barcelona ostensibly because he felt he was under the shadow of Lionel Messi, but how has he fared so far at PSG?
The Brazilian superstar was the main man at Santos, but he is yet to prove his full greatness elsewhere. The move to PSG was supposed to represent the platform for him to take on the world, however, he has so far failed to do so.
On the contrary, Hazard remains the star at both club and international level. The difference is clear who the better team player is. The Belgian may not have his goal scoring numbers up like Neymar, but he certainly makes up for that by baiting himself for others to get on the score sheet. Put Hazard in any team and he will thrive, the same cannot be said for Neymar.