EA Sports FC players reckon retired Chelsea and Real Madrid superstar Eden Hazard deserves a hero card
Hero or icon, which do you think the skillful Belgian should get?
In the aftermath of his retirement from professional football, EAFC 24 players have been busy debating which kind of Ultimate Team card Eden Hazard should receive going forwards.
The winger, who became a household name at Chelsea prior a rather mixed spell at Real Madrid, announced that he’s stepping away from the game earlier today, having already retired from international play back in December 2022.
This has sparked a bit of discussion among EA Sports FC 24’s Ultimate Team aficionados, with a number on Reddit having decided to deliberate whether next Hazard’s FUT card should be of the icon or hero variety.
While there’s plenty of overlap in terms of talent among the names that’ve been chucked into both categories to this point, the former is home to a lot of the historical figures who’d be chucked into any GOAT debate. For example, your Peles and your Zidanes.
The latter, meanwhile, looks this year to be a mixture of borderline-icons and players that have, either to this point or in the past, had a few memorable years for one or two clubs.
The current consensus in the thread, seems to be that, based on the Belgian’s footballing resume he’s more of a hero than an icon, with a number arguing that the latter title should be more stringently reserved for players with incredibly substantial and internationally-recognised legacies within the game.
“People saying he doesn't deserve a hero have either forgotten how good he was on his day or haven't looked at the lineup of heroes we currently have. No way he's an icon though,” argued one, citing his purple patch in the prem as Hazard’s defining stretch of play.
On the other hand, those who reckon he should be an icon, have suggested that his achievements in Ligue 1 prior to arriving in England and importance to the Belgian national team as overriding the slightly underwhelming outcome of his tenure in Spain.
If you fancy reading more about EA Sports FC 24, here’s our review of it, which’ll give you a good idea of what is, and isn’t, different in this year’s offering.