Is Eberechi Eze Nigerian? Birth place and international career of Crystal Palace and England star

Eberechi Eze has developed into one of the Premier League's most exciting midfielders at Crystal Palace over the past couple of years.

The player's performances for the Eagles have seen him linked with a transfer to several clubs including Manchester United and Tottenham, yet he remains at Selhurst Park, where he is a key figure under manager Oliver Glasner.

Eze's performances in 2023/24 saw him earn a place at Euro 2024, where he featured during England's run to the final in Germany.

However, for a long time, his international career looked uncertain. Eze was eligible to represent England or Nigeria and admitted he spent time deliberating over his allegiance.

SN's EPL HQ: Live scores and results | Updated EPL standings | This weekend's schedule

Is Eberechi Eze Nigerian?

Eze was born in Greenwich in London, England and is a full England international. However, having been born to Nigerian parents, he was previously eligible to play for the Super Eagles.

Having represented the country of his birth at Under-20 and Under-21 levels, the midfielder accepted an international call-up to the England squad in June 2023 for Euro 2024 qualifying matches against Malta and North Macedonia. That was despite Amaju Pinnick, the former president of Nigeria's football federation, stating previously that he was "confident" Eze would choose to play for the African nation.

Eze himself admitted he had agonised over the decision before committing to England. Speaking about his decision in June 2023, Eze said: "[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.

"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."

A special mural of @EbereEze10 has been painted in South London ahead of #EURO2024 🎨

After seeing footage of it, here's what it means to him... ❤️ pic.twitter.com/miwWyyyCcx

— England (@England) June 14, 2024

Eze made his debut for England as a substitute in the 4-0 win over Malta, which ended the possibility of playing for Nigeria: under FIFA rules, players cannot switch international allegiance once they have played in a competitive fixture (i.e. not a friendly match).

Eberechi Eze international career

Eze played for England's Under-20 and Under-21 teams and played at the European Under-21 Championship in Slovenia in 2021.

In May that year, he earned a first call-up to the senior England squad as part of then-coach Gareth Southgate's provisional group for the Euro 2020 finals. However, he was injured in a training session and could not take part in the warm-up camp.

Eze finally made his England debut against Malta in June 2023. As this was a competitive game, it means he cannot now play for Nigeria.

The Palace star was part of the Three Lions squad at Euro 2024, where they reached the final for the second consecutive tournament and lost 2-1 to Spain. Eze made three appearances in Germany, all as a substitute.

How to watch Premier League 2024/25

Here's how to watch the 2024/25 Premier League season across selected areas of the world's major regions:

USA: Premier League games in the USA are televised on NBC Sports with Spanish language options on Telemundo and Universo.

Fubo, who are currently offering a FREE trial to new users, are the place to go for stremaing.

Canada: Every Premier League game in 2024/25 is live streaming exclusively via Fubo in Canada. New users can sign up to a FREE trial.

Australia: Fans in Australia can stream every match live and on demand on Optus Sport.

UK: Premier League matches is available for live broadcast on Sky Sports and TNT Sports with streaming access on Sky GO, Now TV and discovery+.

India: Star Sports are the broadcast option in India with JioTV and Hotstar covering streaming. 

If Premier League games are not available to watch live in your location or if you’re traveling abroad, you can use a Virtual Private Network (VPN). VPNs offer a secure and private online connection, allowing you to bypass geographical restrictions to access your favourite streaming services from any device anywhere in the world.

WATCH FROM ANYWHERE: Sign up for NordVPN (30-day moneyback guarantee)