Eden Hazard seen by … Rio Mavuba: "He has only one idea in his mind, eliminating France" – 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia ™

Executioner of the Seleção, Eden Hazard will be the number 1 danger against France this Tuesday, July 10 (at 20h on TF1). At the time of finding the Blues, his friend and former teammate in Lille Rio Mavuba back for TF1 on the first Eden Hazard Losc, his evolution with Belgium and the semifinal to come against his adopted country . Interview

Eden Hazard, those who know him speak best. Teammates in Lille between 2008 and 2012, the captain of Belgium has forged a strong friendship with Rio Mavuba. The former midfielder of Losc, who has two years of contract with Sparta Prague but does not rule out a return to France in a more or less close future, has long played the role of big brother to the child of La Louviere. He is one of the most important people in the development of the Red Devils star.

Joined by TF, Rio Mavuba has agreed to talk about "his buddy" Eden Hazard before the World Cup semi-final between France and Belgium this Tuesday, July 10 (at 20h live on TF1 and live commented on LCI)

>>> And now, a Uruguayan referee for the half France-Belgium >>> How Belgium, deprived of Meunier, will play against France?

"From the first training, I I saw who was Eden "

TF1: You played with Eden Hazard in Lille. What did you think when you met him?

Rio MAVUBA: I had just signed in Lille. I remember having lunch with Claude Puel (the coach of Losc, ed) . At the table, he told me: "You'll see, we have two young people aged 16-17 who will come to train with us, these are two phenomena". It was Eden Hazard and Yannis Salibur, his friend from the training center. From the first training, I saw who Eden was. He already had the qualities we know today. He was already very mature in his game. What he manages to reproduce at the highest level today is what he has done since a young age. He is an easy player technically, endowed with a vision of outsized game with always a thought for the collective. At first, he was shy. But when he took the weight of the team, he opened to us. He is lodger, mature and posed.

TF1: You quickly took it under your wing at Losc. A friendship is bound between you two. What brought you closer?

Rio MAVUBA: When we met, we did not necessarily have the same interests. In the field, my first mission was to protect him. I was often behind him because he was playing high in the halls or at number 10. He was already doing a lot of things. When you have a player like that, who makes you win the team or can make you win at any time, necessarily you do everything to defend it. Eden is an adorable boy. We can only appreciate it. She is also one of the people who has been most involved and involved in my charitable cause ( The Orphans of Makala ). He showed me that he also had a talent as a man. That's how our friendship was built. I'm not on the phone every day with him, but there is always mutual respect between us.

TF1: Eden Hazard today wears Belgium's captain's armband. Did he already have this soul of leader at the time?

Rio MAVUBA: He was still very young (17 years, ed) . He was our technical leader, there is no doubt about that, but to speak, it was a bit more complicated. There were a lot of older players in the squad who were there to do that. Him, he made us win matches, he was fun on the field, it was fun to the team and it was already very good. But it is true that towards the end, he was starting to impose more and to say two things. Eden likes to put confidence. He spoke a lot to the young people who arrived in the group. I do not know if he learned from me (laughs) . He saw me at work for a while and I hope it influenced him and helped him lead his team. After all, he must go against France! (laughs)

>>> By the way, why are the Belgians nicknamed the Red Devils? >>> Thorgan and Eden Hazard with the blue jersey of Zidane

"With De Bruyne, they make a great duet "

TF1: What has changed at home compared to the Eden of Euro 2016?

Rio MAVUBA: I think he's coming to an age where he's realizing that now is the time. Although he is still young, and will play yet another World Cup, he is at the peak of his form. It's the best age to try to dominate the world of football. Maybe he also knows that we are entering an era when Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi will not go out, but will slowly begin to decline. The time has come for others to take up the torch. I'm thinking of him, but also Neymar and other players who will be revealed behind. Eden is in shape and in full possession of her means. And then, the Belgian group is also maturing. All this together, it makes you have a better Eden and it is surely better surrounded than in previous years.

TF1: Let's talk about it. This year, Eden Hazard seems to release by Kevin De Bruyne. He no longer has to carry all the weight of the selection on his shoulders. How do you evaluate their badociation?

Rio MAVUBA: I think Kevin is important to him. This new coach (Roberto Martinez, ed) made them understand that they were complementary. In 2014 then in 2016, it was the eternal debate to know was the leader between the two. There, on this World Cup, it is clear that the captain is Eden and that De Bruyne has anchored in his head. Today, they are doing a great duet. That's it. At the time, there must have been a lot of little problems. Today, everything is resolved and the team behaves better.

TF1: In the quarter-final against Brazil (2-1), some commentators compared his performance to that of Zinedine Zidane in 2006. How would you rate his progress on the World Cup?

Rio MAVUBA: I see what they wanted to say everything, proportionately. On that match, he had some impressive acceleration and impressive dribbling, especially in the second half: when they were all exhausted, he was still able to get that boost. It was quite obvious on the screen. After his World Cup, even if he is two goals and two badists, I would say that the small difference between Eden and Cristiano or Messi is that he is not obsessed with the goal, unlike them. I think he prefers a decisive pbad rather than scoring. I saw him at work in Lille. The moments when he could hit, he was doing the pbad. We have seen it also against Brazil. At one point, he hits and instead of hitting, he shifts the game with a pbad. These are things like that he has in him. I think people, when they pay their seats to go to stadium, it's to see players like that. And I'm sure that with the talent he has, if his team wins the World Cup, he will necessarily be recognized as the best player.

TF1: Do you think the presence of Thierry Henry also helps to emancipate with the Red Devils?

Rio MAVUBA: Everyone knows the career that Thierry has done. He won wherever he went. Having players like that, with experience and who will have the right word to put it in trust, must be important.

>>> VIDEO. Eden Hazard: "Thierry Henry brings us a lot"

"Whatever happens, I know who I will be in the final"

TF1: Do you have any advice to give to the Blues to stop Eden Hazard ?

Rio MAVUBA: I do not have any advice to give them. They did it very well with Lionel Messi or the others. Today, ball at the foot, Eden is more powerful than a Messi. The solution can only be collective. Didier Deschamps will not have to leave Pavard in one against one with him. Benjamin can do very well but it can also be complicated. He will need the support of Varane and maybe a defensive midfielder, Kanté or Pogba, to surround and contain him.

TF1: This Tuesday, he will face France, his adopted country. In what state of mind will you think?

Rio MAVUBA: He will be focusing on his match, that's for sure. He has only one idea in mind, it is to eliminate France. It's the country that has revealed him, he's twice better hope and twice better player. Europe discovered it thanks to its performances with the Losc. Since he left for Chelsea, he has often been criticized in France. It is said that he is never present in big matches, etc. Unconsciously, he will want to show them that they are wrong. He did not have great performances in Europe, but he did not always have the best squad.

TF1: Finally, I will ask you to get wet. What is your prono for France-Belgium?

Rio MAVUBA: I will say 2-1 for France. Sorry Eden … (laughs) He knows I'm French. Whatever happens, I know who I will be in the final. I hope that France will go to the end.

>>> All the info on the 2018 World Cup

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