He was the best player on the Premier League title-winning team last season, so it was fitting that Eden Hazard scored the goal that crowned Chelsea’s successors … Leicester City.
Tottenham saw their Premier League title dreams shattered after Chelsea came back from 2-0 down to secure a 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge.
Substitute Hazard scored his first home goal in a year to complete the comeback seven minutes from time and hand Leicester an historic title.
Knowing nothing but a victory would keep them in with a chance of winning a first title since 1961, Spurs stormed into a two goal first-half lead with Harry Kane (35) and Son Heung-min (44) netting within nine minutes of each other.
Tottenham looked in complete control at 2-0 up and on course for a first win at the home of Chelsea in a generation, only for the now-deposed champions to roar back into life.
Spurs looked nervous at set pieces and so it proved as the ball fell fortunately for Gary Cahill to prod home from a corner.
Eden Hazard then met Diego Costa’s pass with a first-time shot into the top-right corner in the 83rd minute to send hordes of supporters in Leicester, as well as their millions of new admirers around the world, into raptures.
The result means Leicester has an unassailable seven-point lead with two games remaining in the season, completing a fairytale title for the Foxes in one of football’s most unlikely title triumphs.
Tottenham’s frustrations boiled over in six minutes of added time with Kane and Mason both booked for reckless challenges and unsavoury scenes continued at the final whistle, but it was Leicester’s night and manager Claudio Ranieri had his former club to thank.
The Italian made an emotional phone call to Guus Hiddink to thank Chelsea for handing Leicester City the title after a tumultuous night when the Italian’s name was sung loud at Stamford Bridge.
Ranieri, who managed Chelsea before José Mourinho was first appointed manager in 2004, telephoned Hiddink after flying back from Italy where he had been lunching with his 96-year-old mother.
Hiddink said: “Just after the final whistle, a few minutes after the judo, I got a call from Ranieri. He thanked us especially for what we did in the second half and I congratulated him for being champions. They deserved it; it may be a bit of a shock for the established clubs that they did so well. They didn’t implode; there was no tension when they started smelling the title.
“I didn’t see any tears because it was not a Facetime conversation but his voice was trembling a bit. He said five times thanks. His emotion was going up.”
