Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze: Mental strength so important to reaching the top of the game

Eberechi Eze has emphasised the importance of mental strength to make it to the top tier of football.

The South Londoner, 23, was released by Arsenal, Fulham and Millwall as a youngster before lighting up the Championship with QPR.

Eze joined Crystal Palace in a big-money move in August 2020 and had just been named in a provisional England squad when he ruptured his achilles tendon in May.

“I want to be an advocate for working hard,” he told Premier League Productions. “If people can take something from that, I’m very happy.

“I see myself as someone who has been through a lot but plenty of people you speak to in the Premier League have to do that to get to where they are now. It’s a lot of work and setbacks. You have to be strong.

“That first week [at Palace] I couldn’t almost believe I was in the Premier League, that was what I dreamt of as a young kid at Arsenal. That first week was just trying to settle and get my nerves at ease.

“After that it was ‘this is who you are, you’ve got to fully believe in this and be the person who you’re meant to be – not just be happy to be there’.”
Eze, an Arsenal fan growing up, can’t wait to play for a Gunners legend in Patrick Vieira, who has succeeded Roy Hodgson in SE25.

“Unbelievable. The first time he walked in I felt something inside me that made me sit up,” said Eze. “This isn’t supposed to happen – he’s a human being, just like me. There is a presence about him. But after speaking to him, he is a down-to-earth guy.”

Eze should be fit again in November.

“The day I come back I can feel it is going to be a beautiful experience,” he said. “I haven’t experienced the fans before [as a Palace player at Selhurst Park] – it’s going to be like my debut again.

“I can’t tell you how happy I am to be here.”