Eden Hazard

Photo: Getty Images

Belgium's chances of living up to their billing as the dark horses of the World Cup lie in large part at the lightning-fast feet of Eden Hazard. The son of a father and mother who both played professional football, the 23-year-old has struggled to reproduce for his country the kind of displays for Chelsea that have made him one of Europe's hottest talents.

With Hazard's defence-splitting runs, feints and eye for goal, the ability of the winger to turn matches his team's way has drawn comparisons with the giants of the game such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.

In a young and talented Belgium side brimming with confidence after qualifying for their first World Cup since 2002, Hazard will be expected to play a key role in creating openings for teammates such as striker Lukaku.

As well as his pace and balance, which help him drift past defenders, Hazard has added a hard-working defensive side to his game under Chelsea's Jose Mourinho.