Eden Hazard has vowed to make it back on to the Ballon d’Or shortlist and rank among the top five players in the world as he rediscovers his Chelsea form.
Hazard paid the price for his disastrous form under Jose Mourinho last season when he was left off the selection for both the Ballon d’Or and Fifa’s award, seeing team-mate N’Golo Kante be placed under consideration for the latter.
The 25-year-old was nominated for the prize in 2014 and 2015, finishing eighth in the voting last year, but wants to go even better as he looks to continue his recent upswing in form into 2017.
He told reporters: “Last season I was not good, so for me it was normal that I was not on the list. But I want to come back on the list, and give everything to be on the list, not to be in the top 23 but to be in the top five. Yes, I want to reach that level.”
Ballon d'Or shortlist 2016
Two goals in Chelsea’s 5-0 demolition of Everton on Saturday took Hazard’s tally for the season to 7, one more than he managed in 43 games last term and accrued in just 14 matches.
In the final months of Jose Mourinho’s second spell at Stamford Bridge – and for much of Guus Hiddink’s period as interim manager – Hazard looked a shadow of the player who had fired Chelsea to the title in May 2015.
“I don’t try to find excuses,” Hazard added. “But I was not at the top level, for the first time since I started my career.
“I have won a lot of trophies, individual as well. But last season I was maybe a little bit tired, mentally, physically. I don’t know.”
