"No Regrets": Crystal Palace Star Eberechi Eze Speaks on Dumping Super Eagles for England

• Eberechi Eze was eligible to play for Nigeria but opted to play for England at the senior level instead
• Having featured for England at the U20 and U21 level, the midfielder decided not to switch allegiance
• Eze made his debut for the Three Lions in June 2023 and stated he had no regrets over that decision

Crystal Palace star, Eberechi Eze, was at one point linked with the Super Eagles of Nigeria but ended up representing the Three Lions at an international level.

The attacking midfielder was born in Greenwich, England, to parents from the West African country and was eligible to feature for both nations.

Eze had featured for England at the youth level but the former president of the Nigeria Football Federation, Amaju Pinnick, had made efforts to lure him into the Super Eagles in 2019.

In 2021, Three Lions boss, Gareth Southgate, extended an invitation to Eze but he was unfortunately injured on the day he was due to arrive at the training camp.

Emotional Antetokounmpo Pulls Out of 2023 FIBA World Cup

NBA

Two years later, the gaffer invited the 25-year-old again and he made his senior debut for England on June 16, appearing as a 70th-minute substitute for James Maddison in the 4-0 win over Malta in a UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying fixture.

This means Eze is no longer eligible to play for Nigeria but the midfielder said he has no regrets, per ESPN:

"We think that 'this is the best one'. [Representing England] is a big opportunity for me. It is the highest level of football. I look at it with no regret at all."

The Crystal Palace star said he received the call from Southgate and believed joining the Three Lions was the right decision to make.

"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 am very, very happy to be here," he added.

2024 Ballon d'Or candidates after Messi, Ronaldo leave Europe, Mbappe misses out

Football

'I tried to convince him' - Iwobi

Sports Brief previously reported on Everton forward, Alex Iwobi discussing trying to convince Eze to play for Nigeria's national team but ultimately failing.

In 2021, NFF chiefs also tried to convince the midfielder to switch his allegiance to the Super Eagles, with Pinnick even travelling to England to meet the player.