Crystal Palace midfielder Ebere Eze yesterday made his senior international debut for the English national team potentially ending any hope of a siwtch to the senior national team of Nigeria.
Eze was subbed on in England’s 4-0 win over Malta in the Euros Qualifiers. A debut he referred to as a dream come true owing to how he rose to the senior national team from that teen who was released by Championship side Millwall four years ago.
He joined QPR on a free transfer and made his mark there for two seasons and it earned him a move to Crystal Palace, where he stole the show last season as they recover from a slow start to beat the drop. Especially in the final run in of the season under coach Roy Hodgson.
That form was rewarded with an England call up and yesterday he made his debut, four years after training with the senior national team of Nigeria during their training camp in London, and two years after twice meeting with the former president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Amaju Pinnick on playing for Nigeria.
Despite the move he stuck to his decision to play for England ahead of Nigeria and that decision drew him attacks and curses from Nigerians when he posted his excitement at finally playing for England at senior level.
” You won’t finish well. Mark my words”, a Nigerian posted under his Instagram handle. Another one wrote ” You will wake up to find out that the dream is nothing but a nightmare”.
” Your next cap will be in 2027. Ask Tammy Abraham and Fikayo Tomori. It will end in tears”, writes another using the international black out the anglo Nigerian duo of Abraham and Tomori are currently enduring with England. They also turned down Nigeria for England.
Osas Mahawi
