Chelsea playmaker Eden Hazard was taken off during Belgium’s warm-up match against Costa Rica due to a knee injury and immediately there were doubts if the 27-year-old would miss the World Cup.
Belgium won the match 4-1 but Hazard was taken off after the 70th minute. While the attacking midfielder did not need any support in walking off the pitch but his rapid substitution raised a few concerns.
Belgium coach Roberto Martinez though has calmed a few nerves after the match by claiming that the injury is not too severe and Eden Hazard has suffered only a dead leg.
After the match though, Eden’s younger brother Thorgan Hazard revealed that the Chelsea man had blamed him for the injury.
Borussia Moenchengladbach’s Thorgan Hazard said: “It is not the time to take risks. He had done enough in the game to be able to come off. Eden said it was my fault.
“When I wanted to pass to him, it fell a bit short and the defender caught his knee a little bit. But I don’t think it is anything serious.
“Eden has grown in strength during the three friendlies that we’ve played. He has shown he can take the team to the top.
“We’ve seen we need Eden at his best if we are going to do anything in the tournament.”
Belgium have been drawn in Group G of the World Cup and they play their first game of the tournament on Monday when they take on Panama.
In their last group stage encounter, Belgium face England and if everything goes according to the plans then this match could very well be the decider as to who of these two teams finishes as the group topper.
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