EDEN HAZARD claims he is the key to Belgium winning the World Cup – but his teammate Kevin De Bruyne begs to differ.
Belgium kicked off their 2022 campaign with a 1-0 win over Canada this week thanks to a Michy Batshuayi strike.
But, their overall performance was far from convincing.
The Red Devils were made to look completely disjointed by John Herdman’s Maple Leafs, who were unlucky not to have taken more from the game.
Star players Hazard, 31, and De Bruyne, 31, were both off the boil throughout, but the former is adamant that he can still carry Belgium to World Cup victory next month.
Hazard said: “The more matches I play the better I am. It is up to me to play as well as I can. To make it clear I am still in top form and Belgium can be world champions if Eden Hazard is in top form.
“I feel great, I played 65 minutes in the first game and played well. But we can improve as a team.
“I have been through three challenging years but I am happy when I go out on the pitch. It is up to me to ask for the ball and step up.”
However, De Bruyne claims Belgium are “outsiders” rather than favourites to take home the trophy due to the ageing squad.
He told The Guardian: “I think our chance was 2018. We have a good team, but it is ageing.
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“We lost some key players. We have some good new players coming, but they are not at the level other players were in 2018. I see us more as outsiders.
“I am fully able to do what I need to do, but I feel the difference compared with eight years ago. I need more treatment, more rest.”
Belgium’s “golden generation” finished third in the 2018 Russia World Cup.
They were knocked out at the semi-final stage by France thanks to a goal scored by defender Samuel Umtiti.
However, Roberto Martinez’s side went on to defeat England 2-0 in the third-place play-off match on the penultimate day of the tournament.
