'Apna Time Aagaya': La Liga gives a shout-out to Real Madrid's Eden Hazard with an Indian twist

A catchphrase popularised by Bollywood is now resounding in the cobblestone-lined streets of the Spanish capital. La Liga, the top tier of Spanish football on Tuesday took to Twitter to congratulate Real Madrid playmaker Eden Hazard on his first goal for the club since his big-money move from Chelsea. The tweet referenced a Hindi phrase used in the film ‘Gully Boy,’ which is incidentally, India’s official entry for the Academy Awards.

The official Twitter handle of La Liga posted a picture of Hazard with the text “Boht Ha(za)rd.” The phrase, which is derived from the vernacular spoken in Mumbai’s bylanes was used in the Alia Bhatt-Ranveer Singh starrer as representative of ‘Indian hip-hop culture.’ The post was accompanied by the caption: Apna time AAGAYA.




‘Apna time aayega’ is a song from the same movie, which continues to set feet tapping in India. Eden Hazard, who took time to adapt to his new club, was at his fleet footed best as Real Madrid breezed past Granada to go top of La Liga. Madridistas, the club’s army of loyal followers, were taken in by the tweet, which attracted a flurry of interactions.

"Haha, I love this! Something for your fans all across India to cherish," a user tweeted.



The 28-year-old Hazard was signed from Chelsea on June 8, after being liked with a move to the Santiago Bernabéu for the last couple of season. The Belgian forward signed a five-year contract, tying him to Read Madrid till June 30, 2024. He was officially presented to the fans after undergoing his medical on June 13.

The signing was touted to reignite another golden era for the club, which prides itself on assembling a team filled with ‘galacticos’ – a Spanish word that has come to be identified with star players signed by the capital club. However, Hazard has struggled with fitness, with many fans on social media calling for him to lose weight.

Hazard appears to have hit the gym and worked hard in training to develop an understanding with his new teammates. Prior to joining Madrid, he represented the Blues for seven seasons, making 352 appearances in the process. The Belgian netted 110 goals for the North London club since his move from Lille, making him one the club’s standout players since the turn of the century.

Hazard was named Chelsea’s ‘Player of the Year’ four times in the seven seasons he plied his trade in London. The Premier League’s loss is La Liga’s gain, and football authorities in Spain will be hoping that Hazard’s exploits on the field will help Madrid land another Champions League title, as well as gain a toehold in foreign markets like India where it has found the going hard. Ha(za)rd sell tactics could possibly work.