“I don’t feel pressure. I don’t give a toss about it. I spent the afternoon of Sunday, July 9, 2006 in Berlin sleeping and playing the PlayStation. In the evening, I went out and won the World Cup.”
That was one of the most famous quotes when Andrea Pirlo released his autobiography a few years ago. Of course that suits the calm player he’s always been on the pitch, so that’s how we imagine him preparing for games.
Now there’s also a Chelsea player who likes this kind of preparation, and that’s Eden Hazard. ESPN Brasil interviewed two players who have been his teammates in the past, and both talked about the star’s love for video games.
One of them was Danilo Campos, who played with Hazard in Belgium’s youth levels.
“He was my roommate in camp. It was 3 o’clock in the morning and he was on his cell phone, on Playstation, eating junk food, all agitated…”, Campos told ESPN.
“Then I, in agony, said: Dude, let me sleep, there’s a game tomorrow, and it’s qualification for the Euro (laughs).”
“Someone asked: ‘Eden, what the f***? Get serious, the game will start soon!’ He jokingly replied, ‘I’m serious, the game here is serious’. Everyone laughed.”
“He’s really funny and is always good about life. He likes to joke all the time, enjoys friendships. It’s his style, even in training. Even before the serious games he’s always joking. Of course, at the time to play he plays very well. It’s always everything good. He’s a very good guy.”
Oscar also says he expects Hazard to be the best player in the world one day: “He has very fast skills and ball control. He can win a Ballon d’Or in the future. He really has a lot of quality.”
Hazard’s laid back style has sometimes brought him criticism, but if it works for him, and keeps the Chelsea player relaxed, rather than nervous, ahead of big games then it’s probably not worth changing.
And he’s happy, which is always a plus.
