Chelsea star Eden Hazard back from football Siberia and at the summit of his powers ahead of Arsenal FA Cup final

The Belgian has returned from the wilderness and is ready to lead a new Chelsea generation

Eden Hazard announced his return to top form with a stunning goal against Arsenal in February (Getty)

It was during Chelsea’s impressive 3-1 triumph over Arsenal, early in February, that Eden Hazard confirmed what many of us already knew. Picking the ball up on the halfway line, the Belgian left a trail of Gunners in his wake as he weaved his way past the visitors’ feeble defence, making a mockery of Laurent Koscielny not once but twice as he did so, before calmly beating Petr Cech. It was a sprinkling of stardust that effectively decided the contest at the Bridge that day and took Chelsea another step closer to the title. The boy was back.

Hazard had already scored nine goals prior to then, but his magical tenth was reaffirmation that one of the game’s best forwards had returned to the summit of his exceptional abilities after a year in football Siberia. During Chelsea’s ill-fated title defence in the 2015/16 season, the 26-year-old had looked a shadow of his former self. Disinterested and underwhelming, the Belgian was at risk of becoming irrelevant.

But any doubts over the forward have since evaporated. Along with 15 goals and five assists to his name, Hazard completed the most dribbles (138), drew the most fouls (98) and created the most chances from open play (75) for his side this season. Such contributions were crucial in fuelling Chelsea’s relentless march towards a sixth top-flight title and the prospect of a domestic double. Hazard has been quite simply irresistible this year, with the form of two seasons ago firmly consigned to the history books.

“This is football, sometimes you are at the top and sometimes not,” the Belgian says, surrounded by a crowd of journalists in a sweltering media tent at Chelsea’s training base. “People are always talking, I don't care about that. I try to be the best I can.”

So what next for the player? For now, Hazard’s immediate focus is on today’s FA Cup final. Against an Arsenal side caught in the throes of an identity crisis, Antonio Conte’s men head to Wembley as firm favourites. The Belgian, for one, is ready for the big occasion.

“We had a good season already and we can take one more trophy,” he says. “We are working hard this week to be ready. I think the FA Cup is more important [than the League Cup], you know it's something for the fans. For us it's normal because we want all the trophies. But we won the league and if we can do the double it will be good for us and for the supporters. It's in London, it's one of the best stadiums in the world so everything is ready to play a good game."

But while Saturday marks a first for Hazard - the player has never come close to winning the FA Cup before - the Belgian has set his sights on far loftier heights. Conte’s first season in charge has proven to be a roaring success and with a new, emerging generation poised to take charge at the Bridge, Hazard is confident the Blues can push on to enjoy long-term success.

“I hope, I hope. We have this new manager, we have a couple of young players so everything is ready to build something. The last 10 years in Chelsea it was great. They won a lot of trophies, now it's like a new generation. Lampard is finished, Didier Drogba is finished, Ashley Cole, John Terry now. So it's a new generation, and we want to prove that the club is one of the best in the world. So we have to be ready for that.”

“I won already two Premier League, one League Cup, one Europa League. It's not bad - but it can be better! The FA Cup and Champions League, why not?”

Speaking as a midfield general would, Hazard’s words belie the suggestion that this Chelsea side lack genuine leadership now that the old guard have moved on. His insistence that “it can be better” points to a player who has already begun to fill the void left by Terry and Co. As he admits, he’s ready to wholly embrace the responsibilities of leadership - something that will surely alleviate fans’ concerns of an imminent transfer to Real Madrid.

“Now I play my fifth year at Chelsea, you know we have some guys who have a lot of experience, so we are ready for that. We have a couple of leaders - I try to be one on the pitch. We have a lot of guys who can do that. It's normal, sometimes people they leave the club. He’s [Terry] a legend for us, the club, for all the fans. Next season he's not here anymore, but some of the guys they are ready to take this opportunity.”

Could he, then, go on to one day emulate Terry as a Chelsea “legend”? If he continues on his current trajectory at the Bridge, there’s no reason Hazard won’t join the likes of Terry and Lampard in Chelsea’s illustrious hall of fame. For now, though, he remains grounded, content in taking each step as it comes. “No chance! But you know I'm still young, I'm still 26. I don't think about it but if I could be like him that would be good. He did something great in his career. I didn't win a lot [yet] - I won a couple of titles, but him everything. I hope to have the same opportunities.”

The reality of the matter, though, is that alongside Thibaut Courtois, Cesar Azpilicueta and the high-mileage battering ram Diego Costa, Hazard has helped cultivate a new and exciting Chelsea cohort, one that stands ready to drive the club towards further success in England and, possibly, Europe. After another stellar season at the club, the future remains as bright as ever for the nimble-footed Belgian.