Real Madrid attacker Eden Hazard says Arsenal ace Leandro Trossard deserved to be selected ahead of him at the World Cup.

Hazard has announced his retirement from Belgium.

And revealed he could not understand how he played instead of Trossard in Qatar.

"Before the WC there was talk that Leandro Trossard should replace me, and that is completely understandable," he said.

"He had a good season, and in the last training match against Egypt he played a game, while I did not play a good game. Even I wondered why I played when he was supposed to be on the bench.

"I started thinking about it (quitting the national team) after the EC in 2020. I had worked hard, I was injured so I couldn't play against Italy. It was a big mental blow.

"Marouane Fellaini and Christian Benteke were my best friends in the national team, and I was super close with them.

"Not that it was a reason to stop, but I missed them when they were no longer in the national team."