Chelsea fans found themselves on the receiving end of widespread ridicule after they unveiled a rather lackluster tribute banner for Eden Hazard following his retirement.

The Belgian maestro, who officially retired last week, four months after parting ways with Real Madrid, had Chelsea faithful pledging to honor their club legend with his old banner, albeit with some modifications, before their showdown with Arsenal at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.

However, the outcome was nothing short of a disappointment – it was essentially the fabric equivalent of a disappointing trombone sound. Not only did the banner feature the same unexciting image of Hazard celebrating a goal, but its caption left much to be desired.

It simply stated, “Eden Hazard. A true Chelsea great.” Well, duh. What’s next? ‘Lionel Messi. A genuinely decent footballer?”

Naturally, rival fans were far from impressed, even though a majority of Chelsea supporters seemed to find it praiseworthy. “What on Earth is that garbage?” questioned one observer. “Not gonna lie that’s terrible. This is how Chelsea legends get treated lol,” remarked another.

Hazard’s legacy as a genuine Chelsea icon is cemented in history. After joining from Lille for £32 million in 2012, he scored 110 goals in 352 appearances for the club, securing six major trophies, including two Premier League titles. He was arguably the country’s finest player for a solid four or five seasons, eventually earning a £100 million transfer to Madrid in 2019.

However, a series of debilitating injuries severely hindered his time in the Spanish capital, with glimpses of his mesmerizing skills, which once made him one of the world’s most feared attackers, all too infrequent due to spells on the treatment table.

Hazard openly acknowledged that his retirement was a straightforward choice because he “wasn’t enjoying himself anymore.”

Retiring at just 32, the dazzling dribbler now joins the ranks of football geniuses like Marco van Basten, Michael Owen, and Ronaldo Nazario, whose later careers were significantly marred by injuries.

Nevertheless, like those legends, he leaves behind a substantial legacy, and the fans at Stamford Bridge will forever cherish the way he could make hearts skip a beat with the mere flick of his ankle or the sway of his shoulder.