Crystal Palace midfielder Eberechi Eze has reflected on his decision to represent England instead of Nigeria.
Eze was born in Greenwich, Greater London to Nigerian parents.
The 24-year-old represent England at youth level and turned down overtures from former president of the Nigeria Football Federation Amaju Pinnick to play for the Super Eagles.
In May 2021, Eze was called up to the senior England squad for the first time, as part of Gareth Southgate’s 33-man provisional squad for Euro 2020, but on the same day was injured during a training session.
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Southgate again called up Eze to the England squad last month.
“[It was] more just speaking to the people around me, my family, my wife, getting good advice from the people around, trying to think what is the best decision for myself and my career,” he told ESPN.
“We think that this is the best one. It is a big opportunity for me, it is the highest level of football. I look at it with no regret at all.
“It is the highest level of football, you want to test yourself against that, you want to be in that and you can see from the quality of the team, where they are getting to, the confidence they are playing with, it is incredible. So, being part of that is big.
“I received the call and I felt it was the right decision to make and I am very, very happy to be here.”
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35 Comments
We do not have regret loosing you to England too.. but the future will tell who is going to regrets this action
Wish him well, Bro. We can’t have all foreign born players play for us
God bless you brother…..Can you believe that Eze actually came to us first and we used the normal satanic games to delay until his light became so bright and England saw him……How can a player like young Eze be in your national team camp and nobody noticed his talent?…..we where busy gathering caps for Etebo,Ogu,and Shehu…..tell me where are they now????…..Now they have started playing the same satanic game with Orban and Boniface now o…… Tomorrow one person will come and start wishing orban bad after he sees a better option…..Na wa o
Spot on Comments shout to to Pinnick and Rohr for passing on this opportunity and loosing another superstar in the make. Baton has been passed unto Gusau to continue in the corruption.
NIGERIA IS TOO BIG TO REGRET LOSING ONE PERSON LIKE YOU
BUT YOU HAVE TO PRAY SO THAT YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT
WHO CARES IF NOT BECAUSE OF BAD GOVERNANCE WE NIGERIANS WILL NOT REGRET ANYTHING
That’s coming from someone that is yet to kick a ball for England. He’s not even sure wether he’ll get to play or sit on the bench.
Though, our handlers prefer players from NPFL nowadays but this very Eze really embarrassed our coaches and other officials but not we the fans.
He’s not better than Ross Barkley and Dele Ali in their prime. Where are those two now? It was until Saka came home that I understood why he’s being successful playing for England. He’s still getting prayers from home and abroad. As for Eze, Just dey play, Sterling will soon be back.
Thank you so much @ Sean. While I expect everyone to respect Eze’s decision, I can confidently say he is far far far from the type of player SE will miss. When we talk of players SE may have done really well with, Ross Barkley , David Alaba n Dele Alli are the ones. Definitely not Eze. Honestly , a good agent, good club, and good coach will show in some few years to come, that Daga , Akinsimewo, Eletu and Onazi are miles better than him, just like Osimene, Orban, moffi, Boniface, n Awoniyi have completely made Tammy look like an academy player. But unfortunately the rotten egg heads managing our football may hinder the growth of the above mentioned players.
@Glory, that was why I said some fans were not embarrassed. I remembered even when Iwobi was struggling, he got our support. I noticed you in particular joining me to support Iwobi back then.
The question is, who says Eze will better Iwobi in super Eagles Color? Who says Eze can’t come to become ordinary like Aribo in Naija Shirt? But Iwobi even when he was struggling at club level fhardly disappoint Nigeria. Very soon, Daga, Eletu, Akinsanmiro and some unknown foreign borns will join him in Eagles color. I wish Eze well but seriously, we won’t miss him.
Tomori rejected us, Bassey, Akpoguma, Tosin Adarabioyo and more to come accepted Nigeria.
Tammy Abraham rejected us, Osimhen, Moffi, Orban, Awoniyi, Dessers , Sadiq(if not Injury), Boniface etc started shining.
Now watch Eze and Olise . Their replacements will be 3 or more reach. What should be our concern is for Nigeria to have good football administrators. They are our problem.
That’s Your business boy
The likes of Saka, Alaba are doing well for both club and country even when they go out and out to play for their country of nationality after snubbing Nigeria.
Why?
The reason is because they never speak badly against their root…
They still cherish their father land….
They don’t provoke the fans by using this type of words you just used….
Why would a reasonable person refuse to wish them well?….
What should stop us from praying for them to succeed?….
Saka once told an interviewer That he’s not a BRITISH-NIGERIAN footballer but a Nigerian. Even if he later choose UK over Nigeria, this statement of Saka speaks volume.
In 2018 WC in Russia, David alaba paid a visit to his fellow country men….. It means a lot.
But you Eze, Tammy and tomori keep using offensive words against your father and you expect all to go well.
You guys better change because Nigerians that I know will not take it kindly with lots like you guys.
You may end up playing 4 to 6 games OOO….
Better snub those Media men that are always looking for headlines to use and market their products.
Don’t fall victim of them…..
U rest my case.
***SHALOM***
@UBFE how did he speak bad of Nigeria. Okay look at the mock NFF and Peseiro are currently running in Super Eagles Camp and calling it Football developement. I mean if you were Eze and Seen what Tyronne Ebuehi is currently passing through in Nigeria Football team. Will you Choose to play for Nigeria?..
Abeg guys the boy has made his choice Jare Nigeria’s Loss not his. Let Nigeria go and get a Midfield player from our All conquering NPFL LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
How can you people even blame Eze. In My books Eze is very smart and he owes this wretched nation called Nigeria No committments. you people stand there saying Nigeria doesn’t care too that he choose England. My questionto you lot then becomes What Does Nigeria Actually care about? is it our football trajectory LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, making things difficult for quality players to come into the team even ones with only Nigeria as an Option. making a rule for NPFL players in SE when there is CHAN Eagles?. Leaving out players who if those players were from any other country would walk into that countries team for these interantionals yet they are parading bench Warmers. I mean Eze just has to look at whart Tyronne Ebuehi’s situation what else did tyronne Ebuehi need to do to get a call up?.
Eze Nwannem ride on bro you made a good choice truning your Back on this Cursed NFF!
@Ugo
Why I share your sentiment about the NFF and the Nigerian system at large; we should learn to separate the people from the entities.
There is a reason Messi chose to play for Argentina rather than Spain, who did a lot for him when Argentina entities failed him. It is well documented the SOUTH American leadership are corrupt and inept,maybe not like ours but they are.
There are things that go beyond funds, bonuses and the likes. There’s passion, homage, root and patriotism. No matter how the leadership fails one, you overlook such sometimes and tap into one of the aforementioned traits for inspiration. There’s a reason we,forumites,still come on here to read Nigerian news and follow our sports teams even knowing fully well how terrible our leadership are. It is called passion. You can’t buy it. We can’t run from it. It’s simply innate.
While we should respect Eze’s choice, it is quite unnecessary throwing jabs at a nation and her people because of a corrupt leadership. Throw the shades at those who deserve it and free the poor Nigerian masses who are suffering the same pain inflicted by these inept and callous cocoon.
Man dem. Longed to read from you @ Hush. Welcome back brodaman. Was actually coming to reply exactly what you just typed to Ugo. But you have done that even better. @ Ugo seems to have only just started understanding Nigeria’s football problems goes beyond the coaches and players. It’s all down to smelly vomit parading themselves as sports/ football officials.They themselves are not patriotic and are even more happy when others become unpatriotic because will allow them carry their evil/corrupt acts unabatedly. Unfortunately many are playing into their hands by choosing to become unpatriotic. Nigeria is a great nation and there is a wide difference between Nigeria as a country, Nigerians and political class Nigerians. HERE IS WHERE MAJORITY SUCH AS THE LIKES OF EZE ARE MAKING A BIG MISTAKE.
Stop that trash @Glory.
A worker deserve his wages. Why will you eat yours and equally take mine? It’s their sweat, the players and coaches should earn their wages in full, both home and abroad.
It’s our football administrators that are unpatriotic by maladministration.
NFF and sports ministry should sit up and put the football house and admin in order. QED.
Else more top quality players will dishonour them.
We wish you well Eberechi Eze. God bless your career bro.
And all those saying Eze This EZE That When Last did Nigeria reach out to him?. Is it the same Nigeria that is still spending so much effort on Making Ahmed Musa reach 1000 caps and is 95 years old or the same Nigeria that is prioritsing yum Yum FC players over Europa League Team of the season Stars. Make una Rest Jare and channel your Frustrastions on the clowns Running your football.
To be honest, I think England selected him to frustrate Nigeria’s attempt. In fact, the Crystal Palace manager promoted his cause by requesting England select him before Nigeria.
Eze is not a typical England-type midfielder. The midfielders that England favors are not the laidback skillful, creative types that lack game consistency, and want to hold on to or hold up the ball. The typical high-tempo England teams prefer bustling aggressive forward-driving midfielders of the Jude Bellingham type, that can assert themselves not only in every game but on every attack.
The fact that in the 3 years, he’s been playing in the Premiership, no top 8 big club has desired to sign Eze speaks for itself. He does not even feature in the transfer rumours of the big clubs. Iwobi when signed by Everton had at least established himself at Arsenal and moved to a then top 8 club.
I would be very surprised if he establishes himself as a regular player at squad level let alone in the starting 11 for England. I expect he will win 2 or 3 caps and then – like Tomori, be discarded and forgotten.
However, despite this – as many have stated, Nigeria is a frustrating country and all in all he has to look after number one and pay his bills. I don’t regret him selecting England. I just think England would not help him advance his international exposure and he’ll forever be a journeyman footballer in the annals of football history.
Who need you in the first place. We not lacking players in Nigeria, and you know that.
Eze just made another common mistake. He is not a player that will do well for england. He will be discarded soon. But who says eze will even blossom in Nigerian colors. Akpoguna, aribo, bassey and even lookman are struggling today. Sometimes we just over rate these players. It takes more to succeed in Africa. He plays like okocha but he is not a genius like okocha. Even okocaj had to adjust during the westerhof era.
So eze, you can go. The problem is this nff. And a Coach who can’t stand for the right things. He wants to save his job at all cost at the expense of Nigeria’s success.
Dont worry you will soon be regreting your ashawo dicision, looking for the biggest customer to call you. We will see headline quoting southgate saying o dont regret dropping Eze for a rightback,.
Honestly tosin kehinde is far better than eze, he is begging to represent naija, the man united accademian is that germ of okocha
@Collins Id you people are too funny okay ooo even tosin whom might i add is definitely not better than Eze or Olise let us see if your brain dead NFF looks his way or prioritise capping Musa until he is 400 years old. Misdirecting your anger out on someone who made the best decision for his career and using him as a scape goat for the NASTY Decisions NFF and Peseiro ar making. I ask you again with the Quality and inform season Tyronne Ebuehi just had for empoli being one of the best right backs in the league why is he not in the Nigerian team for Seria Leone Games?. did he not warrant a call up?.. This is a guy who Chose Nigeria and was patriotic. Is Eze Blind or maybe you think he does not have wifi or internet in his home or a Television set for that matter.
Abeg Make una free Eze Joor and let the young lad who is serious about his football career be.
What some of us here don’t understand is that, For Eze to choose England is a Joy to our handlers.
It is we fans that want the best for the super Eagles, what our football administrators want is a player from the NPFLeague that they can share from his transfer fees and probably become his agent. So, if Akpom like, let him score thousands in a season, let Orban score billions, let Nathan Tella becomes the best player in the world , let Ebuehi becomes world best right back, they’ll still prefer a YumYum player to him.
So when you are celebrating insults we get from those players born abroad sometimes thinking that our FA cares, I shake my head. Wether we like it or not, it affects we football fans the most,
It’s a football fan that can lose appetite if Nigeria underperforms, it’s a football fan that can have heart attack or high BP because of football , it’s a football fan that will say …“in my life, I’ll not disturb my self watching Nigerian match again”.. and you will still find them here contributing to any result of Nigerian match. Those of our handlers do not care, all they want is Money, majority of them are retired generals and business men they don’t care.
So Nobody is against Eze choosing England but he should do it the right way.
If the likes of Bukayo Saka, David Alaba, Noah Okafor, Akanji etc can get our support simply because they did theirs well, then Eze can follow their lane.
@Sean alaba Said he waited for Nigeria call and it never came from Keshi he even stated reaching out but, Keshi (God continue to rest his soul) preferred players who paid their way into the team via thier agents as it was done at the time, Bukayo Saka well we all know how Pinnick messed that up.
Why are you Nigerians so hell bent on letting the evil doers go squat free and attack the civilians just like yourself who only want the best for themselves and families?.
is it not clear that considering the bull shit NFF is doing that we have no right to even question Eze on this. Okay so what did you want Eze to choose Nigeria and then be told by Garba Lawal or some stupid Ex International that NPFL player shoule be selected over him.
Guys again Leave Eze alone.
@Iwunze, I beg, why the thing come dey chook you like this? You are just busy hunting everybody’s comment up an down to the extent that you don’t take your time and read to understand some opinions?
Not all of us are against Eze’s Choice if you read well. I’ve said it thousands of times that our pb is our administrators. Saka is an English international and I love him more than majority in Naija team (especially as an Arsenal fan wey I be)
Nigeria as a country is more than individuals. We have good Nigerians, we have the bad ones. We are over 200 millions , we can’t have the same mentality.
The likes of Alaba, Saka, Okafor, has shown one or two supports to their father Land. Either by engaging in a charity or displaying naija flag or wearing naija jerseys . Even Dele Alli once tinted one or more of his dreads green to respect his root. You just came online attacking all Nigerians because of your hatred for Our football Administrators. May be you should go back and read what @Hush posted again about Passion. I repeat choosing England is his choice. Whatever happens after is his own cup of coffee. We Move!
My point @Sean is you people should even be embarrassed asking some one to be patriotric to Nigeria guy bia ka m juo gi biko?.. What is there to be patriotic about towards this nigeria especially after this list and seeing Musa name on it again?. Upon everything that is wrong with this list. Musa case alone and Ebuehi for example coupled with Boniface and Orban exclusion shows that Nigeria is not serious about football anymore. and nobvody wants to be part of something taht is not serious and showing signs of yielding or bearing fruit in the future.
Do you people Think Eze has not heard of Orban think again. I am sure he was also expecting Orban name on the list.
Mehn let me tell you Nigeria at the moment infact Super Eagles deserves no patriotic dual nationals and they will all start to run far from Super eagles if this continues infact they won’t have to NFF is doing a very good job of banishing them
Ah calm down on the fact Eagles later would lack dual players I beg. Na “16 years old” Daga be our future? Be calming down. NFF is just one failure away from being ousted from office if they mess up the next Eagles. Musa is already feeling small heat on his twitter handle currently. The current old order would gradually be dismantled.
Who does Eze think he’s going to displace in the England midfield? Mason Mount, he plays for Chelsea and is likely to sign for ManU; Phil Foden, Kalvin Phillips they play for Champions Man City; Bellingham, he’s just signed for Real Madrid; Declan Rice, he’s about to sign for Arsenal; James Maddison, Newcastle and Tottenham are fighting for his signature.
Few Crystal Palace players feature in the England setup, one of them 22 year old CB Marc Guehi is actually being pursued by Liverpool, another Connor Gallagher hyped while playing (with Eze) on loan from Chelsea, has proven so mediocre that Chelsea fans are demanding that he should be sold.
Eze’s prior England U21 appearances is also mediocre, he scored one goal for U-21 and featured more as a substitute than a team starter. Again, he was only selected at U21 because England wanted to frustrate any attempt by Nigeria to select him.
Eze, is the only player I know that has consistently won national team selection by threatening to play for another country rather than through the merit of his performances.
The way England proactively behaves contrast to Nigeria. No way would England leave a Victor Orban unselected if there was a danger he could play for another country.
Tristan why is Aina not in this team
WHY IS EBUEHI NOT SELECTED TELLA WHO DELCARED HE WNATS TO PLAY FOR Nigeria have your Nigeria knocked on his door. Noni Madueke who is eligible and the coach knows this. Thats musa position. Has Madueke been approached no because your NFF and Coach are still inviting a dead leg that has only played 1 game of club football since 2022.
And this is the kind of Shit show you what him Eze to come and be part off.
Why cant you just admit that even if Eze said he wanted to play for Nigeria he would not be selected because of the shambles that is currently running our football under the disguise of being hunan beings
Let Eze be and mind you Eze will def beat Mason Mount to a place in Three lions going forward he his quality and thats why the coach selected him..amd just like Saka when you people also said England will dump him in 2021 and I said Never Saka is quality. Well same will go with Eze. It is Nigeria’s loss not Eze. Get that into your head. Mr Patriotic
Congratulations to you Eze. We too have no regrets about losing you to England.
The only Nigerian player I have ever regretted losing to England from day 1 is Bukayo Saka…..all the rest of them, I’ve always known they will be chewed a few times and spat out before one can finish spelling hippopotamus.
A player who couldn’t tie down a starting shirt in England’s U21 is gloating about 3 lions invitation…..LMAOooo. Even players who won U17 and U20 world cups for England have long been vomited by the wayside from the 3 Lions.
A “Crystal Palace” player who hasn’t been nor isn’t currently featuring in the latest transfer news and “newses” is feeling like Jay-jay Kanu because of a 3 lions invite….LMAooo. Congratulations to him. Lets see if its Arsenal, Real Madrid, Man U, Man City or Chelsea players the England national team managers will sit on the bench for him.
Once again, Englishman Eberchi Eze we absolutely have no regrets losing you to England. Go and never return.
Adios muchacho…!
Don’t mind him I know it will get to this level but trust me ebere England eze you basking on the euphoria of shadow the reality is coming
No regrets loosing u bcos at the end u will only b gud 4 matches against maccedonia& albania u will b dropped when it matters
As e dey pain you@Drey! We just lost a top quality midfielder who is super skillful, a free kick specialist, a penalty&goal getter and a midfield maestro personified, to the 3 Lions where his match allowances/bonuses will be paid promptly, quality Medicare guaranteed and massive retirement benefits guaranteed…. Deal with that.
Congratulationssssss Eberechi Eze! God bless your career, we love you.
Like I said, congratulations to him.
He will not be sorely missed.
Mr “…top quality midfielder who is super skilful, a free kick specialist, a penalty&goal getter and a midfield maestro personified….” was rooted to the bench with a seatbelt as an England U21 national team player….LMAOOooo. Its in the Senior squad he’s hoping for fortune to smile on him…LMAOoo.
Please where was all his top quality, super skills, free kick speciality, penalty & goals and midfield mastery that he couldn’t use to win a first-team shirt in an ordinary youth team…??
Averaged 42.8 minutes through 18 call ups….LMAOoo. So much for a “…a top-quality midfielder who is super skillful, a free kick specialist, a penalty goal getter and a midfield maestro personified…”
He should use all that to confine his Arsenal, Real Madrid, Man U, Man City & Chelsea competitors in the 3 lions to the bench and lets see…..LMAOooo.
Infact e dey pain me so much pass labour pain sef….LMAOoo.
When he gets to play for a club like Arsenal and score a wonder goal in a European Cup final like Iwobi, I may start regretting his decision not to feel Nigerian….LMAOoo
I have my own views on Eze but it’s not the sort of thing I would comment on- as with everything else in life, it’s his own personal decision and he has every right to make his “own” decisions, they will no doubt be based on his “own” valid reasons
which although may have it’s pros and cons and that is entirely subjective because it would depend on a person’s particular point of view but even beyond that, a single person could quite easily have 2 or 3 different feelings about Eze’s choice and “so called interview comments” – At this point, let me just say this- don’t always believe what you read in these types of instances as there are all sorts of agendas from the sublime to the ridiculous going on at all times so be careful about making decisions based on something you read from any source let alone a Nigerian source lol
Having said all that- My real point going from my opening comment is this – There are so many choosing (as they have the right to) blame this on the rottenness and corruption of the NFF and how it is run and what it stands for as I understand – now hear me well – even though I agree that our NFF is rotten for all sorts of reasons, it is still a big leap of faith to just put all the blame on the NFF.
Do you think that the NFF or any organisation at all for that matter in a country like the Nigeria that we all know as it is right now (apart from privately owned concerns like Dangote’s set up etc) can be successful and be run without corruption and produce the expected results like the other well known successful FA’s of this world? Like the European country FA’s and even some North African FA’s or Saudi or Qatari or USA FA’s etc etc? Who work on an “almost” corruption free basis and do what they are supposed to do which leads to great footballing legacies and successful football and big names in world football?
How can anyone believe such a thing?? I really don’t think anyone not living in cloud cuckoo land can make such an assumption or make such a fallacious jump, it’s like living in a dream world really – So for the guys saying it is the NFF’s fault please think again abeg – I am not disagreeing that our NFF is as rotten as they come, No, all I am saying is that to expect the NFF to somehow be able to solve our footballing problems, from grass roots football, to football stadiums and pitches to match arrangements, to payments, bonuses, planning, selection and producing great players and everything else that comes with a well run National Footballing Body is just plain crazy if you take in the context of the broader Nigeria and how even the very Government itself is run right from the top – It is not a misplaced sentiment but it beggars belief to blame the NFF and not recognise the context of the rotten nation that it is trying to work in – All (everybody) currently in any position of power in Nigeria (again apart from private individuals) are all just in it for themselves and only interested in power grabbing and getting personally rich! If you ignore that and then start criticising the NFF then I feel sorry for you – I mean that wretched country does not even yet have 24/7 electricity for crying out loud! Is it Roads?? Or Infrastructure?? What about Jobs or even any kind of future for it’s Children or Citizens?? Even Ghana have 24/7 electricity and very good roads and passable infrastructure (for their own level) and they don’t have a tenth of the natural resources that Nigeria has – Go and think on that! Before blaming NFF or having a go at Eze for not choosing Nigeria – But hear me well O! That does not mean that I am for or against his decision O! – My level of concern about Nigeria has not gotten anywhere near that level of micro criticism – It would be foolish to be thinking like that knowing what a shameful excuse for a country Nigeria is!
Please leave story abeg!