Eden Hazard will this weekend become just the fifth Chelsea player to captain a team at the European Championships.

With Manchester City defender Vincent Kompany sidelined with injury, Chelsea playmaker Hazard has been honoured with the Belgium national team captaincy by manager Marc Wilmots.

The 25-year-old will lead the Red Devils out onto the Parc Olympique Lyonnais in Lyon for Monday's Group E clash with Italy, and doing so, will join a select few Blues who have skippered the nation at the Euros.

Current France manager Didier Deschamps captained Les Bleus at Euro2000 after his one and only season at Stamford Bridge before handing on the baton to Marcel Desailly, who skippered the side in one match at Euro2004.

Michael Ballack wore the armband for Germany at Euro2008 but came up short as Die Mannschaft were beaten by Spain and Fernando Torres.

Goalkeeper Petr Cech, now with London rivals Arsenal, took Czech Republic captaincy honours when replacing Tomas Rosicky during Euro2012. He will vice-captain the team this year with Rosicky still in charge.