Former Chelsea wonderkid dubbed ‘next Eden Hazard' retires aged 28 and admits Blues exit ‘killed me'

The Sun

30-06-2025

FORMER Chelsea wonderkid Charly Musonda, once tipped to follow in Eden Hazard's footsteps, has retired from football.
Musonda announced his retirement from professional football at just 28 years old.
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The Belgian forward revealed the heart-wrenching news, explaining that years of injuries had left him with no choice but to hang up his boots — despite still being young.
In an emotional video posted on Rising Ballers, Musonda said: "I've got a big announcement today.
"It's not easy but it's something I've been thinking about for a long time. After reflecting on my experiences and who I am, I've realised I want to live with purpose to inspire and motivate others."
Musonda admitted that leaving Chelsea"killed" him, and his career has been overshadowed by a string of injuries and loan moves that never quite worked out.
The emotional winger spoke about his Chelsea exit: "The exit killed me. It killed me mentally. It was the worst thing.
"I was obviously with the reserves at that time so the plan was to pick up with the reserves, get some training in and if there were a few games where I could fit in toward the back end of the season, that was the plan.
"Because I literally had just gotten better. I came back in December-January and was training with the reserves.
"Feeling amazing, happy to be back—obviously it was a long way for me to be fully fit, but just being able to train was amazing.
"The first team was doing really well. It was COVID, so the buildings were split and you wouldn't really see the first team.
"Then toward the back end of the season in the car park I ran into Thomas Tuchel, the manager.
"They were getting ready for the semi-final of the Champions League and he just said, 'How are you feeling? How are things going?.
"It was my first time meeting him. He said, 'I'm looking forward to seeing you back and I said, 'Don't worry, I'll be back for pre-season.
"Because in my mind, it was always pre-season and I'd be back with the first team and we'd see from there.
"So I came back for pre-season and that's where things got tricky. That was the end of my time at Chelsea."
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Despite the pain, Musonda isn't bitter, instead, he's channelling his experiences into helping the next generation.
He added about his future plans: "I want to do things with purpose. I want to inspire people and create opportunities.
"I'm still young but I want to help players who don't have the chance to showcase their talent.
"I know how it feels and with football changing so much, many players never get the opportunity to show what they can do, I want to make a difference."
Once hailed as one of the brightest prospects in European football, Musonda's potential was often compared to that of Hazard's during his early days at Stamford Bridge.
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However, a series of setbacks-including loan spells at Real Betis and Vitesse Arnhem, meant his career never reached the heights everyone expected.
Despite flashes of brilliance during his time away from Chelsea, Musonda made only a handful of appearances for the Blues and his once-promising future faded into disappointment.
It's the end of a career that promised so much but ultimately never delivered.
However, Musonda's drive to give back could help the next generation avoid the pitfalls that derailed his own career.