Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has backed star player Eden Hazard, saying the Belgian was better than Real Madrid ace Cristiano Ronaldo last season.
Ronaldo scored 61 goals in comparison to Hazard’s 19, however the Portuguese star ended the season trophyless while Hazard played a starring role in the Blues’ Premier League and Capital One Cup triumphs.
“Football without titles is nothing. I don’t like players or managers to win individual trophies without the team,” Mourinho is quoted as saying by the London Evening Standard.
“Would I put Eden above Ronaldo? Last season, yes. In spite of the fact that Ronaldo was fantastic. He scored an incredible number of goals.
“Eden is coming with big status now and was voted one of the top ten players in Europe last year. In my opinion he should be in the top three not in the top 10.”
Mourinho said that Hazard’s exploits in the Premier League make him one of the world’s best players, but added that he believed the former Lille man still has big room for improvement.
“Being that the Premier League is the top competition in the world, I think he is among the top players,” Mourinho explained.
“But he has to be better and I told him that. How? By repeating these (POTY) trophies and he needs a good Champions League.
“The normal tendency is for people to find another star. To find somebody new to get these individual trophies. But he has all the conditions to improve.”
Chelsea begins its title defence at home to Swansea City on August 8.
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