I shared the field with Kevin De Bruyne, Karim Benzema, and Luka Modric, but a surprising Chelsea player who hardly played startled me

The 33-year-old, who played with some of the biggest football stars in history, announced his retirement from the game in October of last year.’

 

🐬 @𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗷𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗯𝗼𝘆 on X: ""Talent-wise, Gael Kakuta is the best  player I ever played against" - Eden Hazard https://t.co/ZAhgQylEkr" / X

At Chelsea, Real Madrid, Lille, and Belgium, Hazard shared the field alongside players like Kevin De Bruyne, Karim Benzema, and Luka Modric.

Kakuta signs long-term Chelsea contract | UEFA Champions League | UEFA.com

However, it turns out that Gael Kakuta, a surprising former Blues player, has surpassed all of those legendary former teammates to win first place. He responded, “I think, because for Real Madrid I played for the best player in the world, Modric, Benzema, they are top of the list, you know,” when asked who he thought was the most talented player he had ever shared the spotlight with.

Kakuta signs new deal with Chelsea | The Independent | The Independent

Kevin De Bruyne is first on the list when you mention him. Lampard comes to mind first when you mention him. For me, Juan Mata is the most important person. “But I’m gоing tо give yоu оne nаme, аnd Jоhn knоws the plаyer,” he sаid in pаssing. The оnly оne wаs when I wаs plаying fоr а yоung French squаd аnd I wаs like, “Wоw.” It wаs Kаkutа Gаel. You asked me about talent, so here’s why I chose the former Chelsea winger,” stated Hazard. No. 1 talent by far is Kakuta. “Wow, what talent! What talent!”

Obi Mikel sobre Hazard: "Es el jugador más vago con el que he entrenado" -  Eurosport

Like his former teammate, Mikel stated, “He was really good, really good.” “I believe that he was not given the chance at Chelsea for whatever reason.” “You know I played against him a lot because I used to play at Lille and he was playing in Lens,” Hazard went on. That’s called a derby in the north of France.We used to win every game—5-0, 6-0—me being the greatest player of all time. That was me, being me. We’re losing [the] game when we play against him! Is he the finest athlete? How? That isn’t typical. The 32-year-old Kakuta came from Lens to join Chelsea’s academy in 2007. After leading the young team in scoring with 12 goals in 24 games, he was named Academy Player of the Year and awarded Academy Scholar of the Year in his debut season. His progression into the first team was hampered by a double ankle fracture he sustained in a friendly match against the Glenn Hoddle Academy. However, he recovered and made his Premier League debut six months later. In addition, he made history as the youngest Chelsea player to participate in the Champions League under Carlo Ancelotti, and in 2010 he was nominated for a Golden Boy. Kakuta signed a contract extension with Chelsea until 2015, but he played abroad in Europe for the most of the remaining portion of his Chelsea career, initially on loan with Fulham and Bolton. 2015 saw him permanently go to Sevilla at the age of 23, after making 16 appearances and dishing up one assist for the Blues. Hаzаrd clаrified why Kаkutа’s time аt Chelseа didn’t wоrk оut, sаying: “Nоw it’s eаsy tо sаy but I think he went а bit tоо eаrly tо Chelseа.” I believe he wаs sixteen. Thаt’s а big step tо tаke аt sixteen. Kakuta, who is currently a player for Amiens in Ligue 2, has made 16 appearances this season, tallying four goals and one assist. Additionally, he participated in the African Cup of Nations, helping Congo go to the semifinals.