LONDON — Chelsea believes Eden Hazard is the third best performer in world soccer so it was little surprise the Belgium winger was voted the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) Player of the Year Sunday. According to his club manager Jose Mourinho, only World Player of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid and Barcelona great Lionel Messi are in better form than the 24-year-old Hazard. To the fans of Premier League champions-elect Chelsea, their No. 10 is the modern-day equivalent of the much-loved Gianfranco Zola in both style and substance. “He's a kid but he knows that he is one of the three best players in the world, he is coping with that responsibility,” Mourinho told reporters recently. “I've had lots of stars. Hopefully in every club I've worked I've had stars but he is the humble star.” The diminutive Zola charmed supporters up and down the land with his twinkle-toed trickery and endearing humility during the Italian's seven years at Stamford Bridge between 1996-2003. One opposition defender described the moment that Zola left him with “twisted blood,” so good was his dazzling footwork, and the same can now be said for the quicksilver Hazard. Such is his importance to Chelsea that Mourinho took the 5-foot-8 (1.73-meter) Belgian to one side before last week's 1-0 home victory over Manchester United to tell him that he was his side's potential match-winner — and he duly obliged with the only goal of the game. “Physically, mentally he's getting very, very strong,” said Mourinho. “He understands his role. “He understands clearly that especially in a moment where the team doesn't have all its power, he understands when the game becomes strategic. He understands his talent is fundamental for the team.” It was third time lucky for Hazard Sunday because he was also on the shortlists for the main prize and the PFA Young Player of the Year awards in each of the previous two seasons. He was also runner-up for the young player award Sunday behind Tottenham Hotspur's Harry Kane. Hazard becomes the second Chelsea player to win the PFA vote, after captain John Terry in 2005, and his teammates are in no doubt as to his value to the side. “Eden is a quality player and he has the qualities to play even better,” said hard-man defender Branislav Ivanovic earlier this year. “It's hard to say how close he is to Messi... but for us at Chelsea he is like Messi is for Barcelona.” The Londoners started the campaign playing silky, flowing football as they sought glory in four different competitions. Earlier Sunday, Hazard was named in the PFA Premier League team of the year for the third time in three seasons in England. He was one of six Chelsea players in the XI, a reflection of the Blues' fine form, along with club captain John Terry, Gary Cahill, Branislav Ivanovic, Nemanja Matic and Diego Costa. Chelsea Ladies midfielder Ji So-yun, meanwhile, collected the top accolade in English women's football. — Agencies
