Former Chelsea and West Ham United winger Joe Cole has chosen to retire from professional football.
The 37-year-old who started his career at West Ham and then went on to play for fellow London club Chelsea released a statement on Tuesday in which he said:
“After 20 years as a professional, the time has come for me to hang up my boots. It has been a dream come true. All of it.
“Whatever is next, I hope the next two decades are as special as my last 20 years as a professional have been. A huge thanks to everyone who helped me along that path.”
And as soon as Joe Cole announced his retirement from active football, Chelsea superstar Eden Hazard revealed a little-known fact about him and Cole.
Eden Hazard has claimed that before moving to Stamford Bridge he had a chat with Joe Cole who advised him to join the Blues over other Premier League clubs that were interested in him.
Hazard said: “I spoke to him before I signed for Chelsea.
“Every day, seriously, he was telling me that Chelsea was the best club for me.
“He said Chelsea was a big club where you can win trophies every season. For that reason I signed, so thank you, Joe Cole!”
.@hazardeden10: 'I spoke to him before I signed for Chelsea. Every day, seriously, he was telling me that Chelsea was the best club for me. He said Chelsea was a big club where you can win trophies every season. For that reason I signed, so thank you, Joe Cole!' pic.twitter.com/gKV0yN40Ma
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) November 13, 2018
Eden Hazard joined Chelsea from Lille in the summer of 2012 and the previous season the Belgian and Joe Cole were teammates at the French club.
Joe Cole was on loan at Lille during the 2011-12 season from Premier League club Liverpool and it seems the winger did a great favour to his former club Chelsea despite being associated with one of their arch-rivals.
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