Saturday 28 May 2016 00:12, UK
Chelsea’s Eden Hazard admits he was below par this season, but says he will be firing on all cylinders for Belgium at this summer’s European Championships.
Hazard will captain Belgium when Euro 2016 kicks off next month as Manchester City centre-back Vincent Kompany is absent with a groin injury.
Despite being forced to wait till April for his first league goal in a Chelsea shirt, former Lille forward Hazard is feeling bullish about recapturing his best form on familiar ground in France.
"Everyone knows the season I've just had, I'm not going to repeat that I've had a bad season, it's over," he said.
"The last match in which I gave everything was against PSG in the Champions League (in March), after that I was injured.
"The injury broke up my season a little bit but also allowed me to come back at 100 per cent.
"Then I finished the season well with Chelsea. I'm arriving at the Euros at 100 per cent, at full strength - hopefully it will go well."
Hazard not only wants to make up for a poor club season but also for not having been at his best two years ago at the World Cup in Brazil, where Belgium lost 1-0 to eventual beaten-finalists Argentina in the quarter-finals.
"Two years ago, everyone expected a lot from me, maybe I didn't meet those expectations," he said.
"People will be waiting for Belgium and waiting for me (to deliver) but we'll give our utmost."
Belgium will have to do it without Kompany, but Hazard is confident the quality they have in the rest of the squad puts them in good stead to have a successful tournament.
"Obviously we've lost our captain, the leader of the team - that's not easy, like France who've lost Raphael Varane," he added.
"But, honestly, we have quality in defence and everyone in the team is ready.
"Nearly everyone is at 100 per cent, we're not worried. And up front, we have maybe the best generation."
Despite being the highest FIFA-ranked team in the tournament - at number two in the world behind Argentina - Hazard refuses to accept Belgium are one of the favourites to win Euro 2016.
"Favourites, no, I don't think so," he said
"France are playing at home, Spain, Germany and then maybe we're just behind."