Hazard Owns Up to Mourinho Row: The Passport Incident That Got Him Dropped

Eden Hazard has come clean about his part in what he describes as a "really bad" confrontation with Jose Mourinho during the manager's tenure at Chelsea, revealing the circumstances of an incident that saw him banished from the team sheet.

The Belgian winger, who collected two Premier League crowns at Stamford Bridge, has opened up about multiple run-ins with Mourinho and taken responsibility for one particularly awkward moment.

"I've had more than one, to be honest," Hazard reflected when discussing his clashes with his former boss. "There was this time in Mourinho's first year with us. I'd gone to Lille to catch a match and somehow lost my passport heading back. That meant I couldn't get into England and I missed training. I didn't get back until around 2pm, after the session had wrapped up. I had to apologise to him. It was a genuinely difficult moment."

The consequence was swift. Mourinho left him out of the starting XI the following week, making clear he held Hazard accountable. However, the Belgian's exile proved temporary—come Saturday, he was restored to the side and delivered a strong performance.

Despite the tensions that punctuated their relationship, Hazard spoke appreciatively of what Mourinho's second Chelsea spell—which delivered the 2014-15 Premier League title—taught him.

"Plenty," he said of his education under the Portuguese tactician. "His devotion to the game, the way he backs his players, the intensity of training sessions—it was exceptional."

Hazard arrived at Chelsea in 2012 and became one of English football's most entertaining talents, amassing 110 goals across 352 outings before his 2019 switch to Real Madrid. When asked to contrast the two leagues, he highlighted the fundamental differences in their rhythms.

"They're worlds apart," he explained. "The Premier League demands constant physicality; there's no let-up. La Liga rewards technical quality. At Madrid, you can control the tempo of a match, but the Premier League doesn't allow that—you're flat out for the full 90."

Hazard hung up his boots in 2023 following an injury-plagued Spanish sojourn, and these days he's embraced a quieter existence. "I never had 10am training sessions anymore! Just Saturday matches, then done," he quipped. "These days it's straightforward. Five kids keep me busy. Right now, I'm more taxi driver than footballer, but I'm content with that."

On his legacy, he's refreshingly unbothered by grandiose narratives. "Just remember me as a decent player and a decent bloke with a laugh. That's all I need."