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The 37-year-old EFL Championship Manager of the Season contender shared his admiration for the Real Madrid winger in an interview with RTBF's Pierre Deprez.

The pair were international team-mates with Belgium and both played their part in Russia as they pipped England to third place at the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

Hazard, who was voted his nation's Player of the Year in three successive campaigns, was a two-time Premier League winner at Chelsea and is also a two-time titlist with "Los Blancos" in La Liga.

Belgium's forward Eden Hazard (front R) watches Belgium's defender Vincent Kompany during a training session in Rostov-on-Don on July 1, 2018, on the eve of their Russia 2018 World Cup round of 16 football match against Japan. (Photo by Filippo MONTEFORTE / AFP) (Photo credit should read FILIPPO MONTEFORTE/AFP via Getty Images)

However, his stay at Santiago Bernabéu has been riddled with injury, limiting the ex-Lille goal-scorer to just 43 starts in all competitions since his switch from Stamford Bridge in the summer of 2019.

He has managed just nine appearances this term, scoring once in a 3-0 win over Celtic in the Champions League, which has triggered calls for the forward to hang up his boots.

Kompany, though, insisted that it's far too soon for the 32-year-old to be considering retirement, and that he still possesses plenty of 'magic' in his feet, which fuelled bizarre speculation that Hazard could resurrect his career at Turf Moor.

Speaking about Hazard, who signed for an initial fee of £88million, putting pen to paper on a five-year contract worth more than £400,000 a week, the Burnley boss said: "Talking about the end of his career is too early for me. The most important thing is that Eden had injuries and that's what changed.

Belgium's team players (front row from L) Belgium's defender Toby Alderweireld, Belgium's midfielder Youri Tielemans, Belgium's midfielder Kevin De Bruyne, Belgium's forward Thorgan Hazard, Belgium's forward Eden Hazard (back row from L) Belgium's goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, Belgium's forward Romelu Lukaku, Belgium's midfielder Axel Witsel, Belgium's forward Dries Mertens, Belgium's defender Vincent Kompany and Belgium's defender Jan Vertonghen pose for a picture at the start of the UEFA Euro 2020 qualification football match between Belgium and Scotland at the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels on June 11, 2019. (Photo by JOHN THYS / AFP)

"Having injuries, you have to respect the fact that you can't control that. He had to deal with injuries and the aftermath. And it's always hard to come back."

Kompany, who won promotion to the Premier League with the Clarets in his first season in management in English football, added: "Behind that, there is always the player who gave us a lot of good moments, who made us proud to support Belgium.

"And then, there is always someone who still has a fight to fight and still has something to do at some point.

"He can still score in the Champions League final, he can still win a title. There is still magic in this player, in the person. And we have to hope for the best for him so that he finishes as he deserves."

Burnley linked with shock move for Real Madrid Champions League winner following Vincent Kompany's praise of his 'magic' ex-international team-mate