‘I deserve to be here’ – Eberechi Eze details long road to England as he’s grateful for ups and downs
Eberechi Eze has detailed how he deserves to be in the position he is following an England call-up, and feels low moments have helped him get to where he is.
Eze is currently in the first England squad he has ever been in. The Crystal Palace star had his best season in the Premier League this season, playing every single game, which saw him score 10 goals and provide four assists.
The consistent performances prompted Gareth Southgate to pick him for EURO qualifiers against Malta and North Macedonia, in which he could debut.
In a press conference ahead of the qualifiers, Eze detailed the large step of being selected to represent his country.
“It’s big, something I have been working toward for a long time. Grateful it has happened now. I got a message they were going to be calling me up but being injured that put an end to that for a while,” he said, quoted by BBC Sport.
Indeed, that injury is one that could have hindered his progress significantly, but while he feels it knocked him of course, it also motivated him.
“It is hard to put into words because I look at things a bit different. I saw that I was on the right trajectory. I saw that as the level I could get to. It gave me the motivation to keep going really.
“My main motivation is focusing on what I do. [My debut] That decision is for Gareth Southgate.”
While the injury would be perceived as a negative for many, Eze sees it as a positive as it helped him come back stronger in order to get to where he is now.
“It’s been a long journey, a long road. I know I have improved all round as a person and player, I don’t know if I would be in this position now if it wasn’t for that injury. It is part of my story,” he said.
The prospect of a debut is one that is clearly exciting for the Palace star, and he’s hopeful that’s the next step for him.
“Naturally there is always something you want next. I am grateful to be in this position. I have worked hard, no one has done me any favours as I deserve to be here,” he added.
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