Who is Eberechi Eze? The journey of rising star behind Crystal Palace's historic FA Cup win

Crystal Palace finally had their dream fulfilled after 120 years as they lifted the FA Cup for the first time, stunning Manchester City with a 1-0 victory during the historic final held at Wembley Stadium. Central to this narrative was a 26-year-old midfielder whose life story is anything but linear. Eberechi Eze, who has tasted rejection from multiple clubs in London, performed the extraordinary act of magic that not only laid his name in the history books of Palace but also made South London euphoric.In the 16th minute, Eze hit Daniel Munoz’s cross and managed to send it past the Manchester City goalkeeper. South London’s player stayed calm to wrap up the fast counter-attack. The fans at Wembley went crazy when the ball was scored. Those who were fans of Palace were amazed when their team started winning trophies.Reporters were told by Eze that he had trouble breathing after hitting the ball. "It's special. I cannot find any words to say."Regardless of being born in Greenwich, South London, Eze had a difficult time achieving success in football. After quitting Arsenal when he was still young, Fulham, Reading, and Millwall all rejected him. Nevertheless, he always worked towards his goals.In 2016, it was Queens Park Rangers who gave him the chance to become well-known. He demonstrated some of his abilities at Wycombe Wanderers, which aided the team in reaching League One. After going back to QPR, he was their top player and was given the number 10 shirt.Also Read: Crystal Palace script history by winning FA Cup 2024-25Crystal Palace signed Eze in August 2020 for £19.5 million. Since then, he has developed into one of the Premier Leagueôs most exceptional entertainers in the attacking midfield position. To date, this has been his most productive season, achieving a total of 12 goals and 12 assists in all competitions.Chris Richards said no one could foresee the plays he makes on the field. Some of the ideas he has are too imaginative for me to create. As well as the trophy, Palace will be playing in European football for the first time ever next season. Eze is continuing to make progress, as he has already represented England.Eberechi Eze’s success in the finals at Wembley proves that hard work always pays off. Anyone who supports Crystal Palace will always remember him as the one who brought them their first major trophy after 120 years.