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Belgian football star Hazard retires

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PARIS:

Belgian attacking midfielder Eden Hazard announced his retirement on Tuesday after failing to find another club following his release by Real Madrid.

The 32-year-old endured an injury-plagued spell at Real Madrid after his 89-million-pound (103 million euros, $110 million) move from Chelsea in 2019, playing just 76 matches in all competitions across four seasons.

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“You must listen to yourself and say stop at the right time,” Hazard wrote on Instagram. “After 16 years and more than 700 matches played, I have decided to end my career as a professional footballer.”

Hazard had a far happier time at Chelsea, winning both the Premier League title and Europa League twice as well as the FA and League Cup from 2012-2019.

He was also integral to Belgium’s impressive run to the 2018 World Cup semi-finals, beating Brazil in the quarter-finals but bowing out to eventual champions France in the semi-final.

However, he was unable to rouse himself for last year’s World Cup finals when along with fellow stars Kevin de Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku, Hazard and a below-par Belgium bowed out in the group stage.

Nevertheless Hazard – who also won a Ligue 1 crown with Lille and two La Liga titles with Real and picked up a Champions League winners’ medal as an unused substitute in 2022 – was in grateful mood as he signed off.

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“I was able to realise my dream, I have played and had fun on many pitches around the world,” he said.

“During my career I was lucky to meet great managers, coaches and teammates – thank you to everyone for these great times, I will miss you all.”

He thanked his clubs and the Belgian federation as well as friends, family and advisors “who have been close to me in good times and bad”.

“Finally, a huge thank you to you, my fans, who have followed me for all these years and for your encouragement everywhere I have played,” he added.



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Shadab Khan provides an update on his injury

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Pakistan all-rounder, Shadab Khan suffered an unexpected injury during National T20 Cup match between Rawalpindi and Sialkot in Karachi on Sunday.

The incident took place as Shadab was fielding during the match, having bowled two economical overs. The unfortunate mishap occurred when the ball unexpectedly rose above his foot, resulting in a sudden and painful ankle twist. 

The video footage of Shadab being carried off the field piggyback style by a teammate went viral on social media, raising concerns about the severity of the injury.

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نیشنل T20 کرکٹر شادب خان انجری کا شکار شاداب کو کندھوں پر اٹھاکر ڈرینسنگ روم منتقل کیا گیا راولپنڈی کی کپتان سیالکوٹ کے خلاف میچ کھیلتے ہوئے پائوں کی انجری کا شکار ہوئے @76Shadabkhan @TheRealPCB #shadabkhan #IslamabadUnited pic.twitter.com/mEnGqmayi2

— KHIZAR AZAM (@KHIZARAZAM) December 3, 2023

In an exclusive interview with Cricket Pakistan, Shadab recounted the incident and explained the severity of the pain that left him incapacitated for a few minutes, making it difficult for him to comprehend the extent of the injury and eventually he had to seek assistance.

“When the ball came above my foot, I had an ankle twist. When the ankle twisted, I couldn’t even comprehend it for 2-3 minutes because the pain was severe. Then I tried to walk to the sidelines. The boundary on the side was a bit short, so I walked out there, but after that, I didn’t have the courage to continue walking. Then there was a guy there, so I thought of somehow making it to the dressing room,” Shadab said.

Fortunately, Shadab provided a glimmer of optimism when discussing his current status of his fitness.

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“Now the fitness is improving. The injury is not too major. The report has come, but the doctors haven’t told me how much time it will take. As soon as they tell, the rehab will start according to their instructions.” he further added.

Shadab highlighted the proactive approach being taken to ensure effective rehabilitation process ahead of Pakistan’s T20I series against New Zealand in January.

“The injury doesn’t seem too prolonged. The physios will assess it and plan accordingly for the New Zealand series.” he concluded.