One of the former teachers of England star Eberechi Eze has said he is the ‘perfect role model’ who often goes back to school to encourage pupils to follow their dreams.
The Crystal Palace winger has played a key role in the Three Lions’ Euros campaign so far and was part of a triple substitution that helped England equalise with just 10 minutes to go in the quarter-final against Switzerland.
He was also involved in the build-up to Jude Bellingham‘s bicycle kick goal in the round of 16 against Slovakia.
Now one of his former teachers at The John Roan School in Greenwich, south east London, has revealed that Eze remains in close contact with the staff and pupils there despite his footballing success.
Elliot Duncan told the Evening Standard: ‘He [Eze] would always come away from the ball and go past players with an elegance and ease.
‘He’s a very good wildcard to have in the squad and could make a crucial contribution.’
Eberechi Eze celebrates after England won their quarter-final match against Switzerland on July 6
One of his former teachers at The John Roan School in Greenwich, Elliot Duncan has revealed Eze remains in close contact with the staff and pupils there
Eze puts his arms in the air to celebrate England’s victory in the penalty shootout against Switzerland
England’s Declan Rice, Ivan Toney, Eberechi Eze, John Stones and Jude Bellingham celebrate winning the penalty shootout on July 6
Eberechi Eze, Marc Guehi and Gareth Southgate celebrate England beating Switzerland on penalties
Eze hugs Jude Bellingham and Trent Alexander-Arnold after the penalty shootout on Saturday
Jordan Pickford embraces Eze following their victory in the quarter-final against Switzerland
Mr Duncan added: ‘When he comes back to talk to the pupils he emphasises that with hard work and belief you can fulfil your dreams. He is the perfect role model.’
The 25-year-old footballer has also set up his own charitable foundation to support schoolchildren in London.
Eze’s foundation runs a training camp for young children at his club Crystal Palace to encourage them to find a love for the game.
He has also set up career events, including a trip to Burberry, where pupils could find out more about careers in fashion.
Mr Duncan added that The John Roan School are ‘so proud’ of Eze and the fact they have been part of his journey.
He also said that Eze is ‘more than a footballer’ and that it has never been about money for him.
England are set to play Spain in the finals of the Euros on Sunday after they knocked out the Netherlands in a tantalising semi-final last night.
Ollie Watkins put a winner in the back of the net in the 90th minute sparking wild celebrations from fans watching in the stadium and at home.
People across England partied into the early hours as they paid tribute to their heroes, with chants of ‘It’s coming home’ echoing long into the night following the stunning 2-1 victory as football fans revelled in the atmosphere.
The scenes of euphoria were widespread – in fan zones in London and Manchester, there were scenes of wild celebration, while pubs and bars across the country were full of happy punters before spilling out into the streets in the early morning after last orders.
England fans at the AO Arena in Manchester celebrate after the Three Lions beat the Netherlands on Wednesday night
England fans party late into the night in Stevenson Square in Manchester as they celebrate their team’s stunning late victory
Ollie Watkins kisses his partner Ellie Alderson in the stands after scoring the winning goal against the Netherlands to book England’s spot in the Euro 2024 final
England manager Gareth Southgate celebrates after his team beat the Netherlands to reach the final of Euro 2024 on Sunday
England fans chant and sing as they gather in Stevenson Square, Manchester, following the Three Lion’s victory over the Dutch
Ecstatic England fans celebrate at the AO Arena in Manchester where they had gathered to watch the crunch match
An England fan wearing a retro England shirt with the number of David Beckham stands up as he watches the match at the AO Arena in Manchester
England fans in the Camp and Furnace Pub in Liverpool react as England play the Netherlands
Jubilant England fans celebrate Ollie Watkins’ winner against the Netherlands at Box Park in Croydon last night
England fans at the AO Arena in Manchester during a screening of the semi-final match
England fans at BOXPark Wembley, London, react after Netherlands’s Xavi Simons (not pictured) scores their side’s first goal of the game
Ecstatic England fans react at Manchester’s AO Arena as England score against Netherlands
Even US indie rockers The Killers got involved, playing the last moments of the match on a big screen during their gig at the O2 Arena in London, before barrelling into a rousing rendition of Mr Brightside.
There were also scenes of ecstasy in Dortmund where the match was being played with super-sub Watkins, who came on to replace captain Harry Kane – who himself had brought England level with a penalty in the first-half to cancel out Xavi Simons’ wonder strike – touchingly sharing the moment with his mother and girlfriend.
Southgate’s squad will now attempt to go one step further than Euro 2020, when they also reached the final but lost to Italy on penalties at Wembley.
Nervous England fans suffered early heartbreak when Simons opened the scoring with a thunderbolt shortly after kick-off. But their agony turned into euphoria when Kane equalised from the spot in the 18th minute.
With the game heading to extra-time again, Watkins – who had only been on the pitch nine minutes – clinched a historic winner in the 90th minute, prompting England’s substitutes to run onto the pitch, as pints flew across pubs and fan zones at home.
After the match England’s newest hero touchingly celebrated with his partner Ellie Alderson and his mother who were both in the stands.
Among the England fans watching abroad was Sir Keir Starmer who managed to catch Kane’s goal in a room with his Dutch counterpart – as they are both in Washington for the Nato summit.
The Prime Minister got out of his seat as the spot-kick was drilled home, then shook hands with the Netherlands’ PM Dick Schoof.
Sir Keir, who has confirmed that he will attend the final in Berlin on Sunday, posted on X: ‘Picked the right moment to pop out from Nato meetings and check the score…’
Kane’s penalty was controversially awarded by VAR after he went down from a Denzel Dumfries challenge in the aftermath of blazing a strike over the crossbar. But the England captain was not going to complain – and made no mistake in dispatching the penalty into the corner.
In a much-improved England performance, the Three Lions then nearly doubled their lead as Phil Foden danced around several defenders in the box before rolling the ball under the keeper only to see his effort hooked off the line by Dumfries at the critical moment.
The heavily-involved Dumfries almost made amends for giving away a penalty minutes later as he crashed a header off the bar from a corner.
But an electric England pushed for another and Foden came inches away from doing so, curling a stunning effort against the woodwork himself, before the break.
Ollie Watkins dramatically sent England into the final of the European Championship with a sensational strike
The substitute scored just minutes after coming onto the pitch, prompting England’s substitutes to flood onto the pitch
Watkins’s last minute winner sent England fans wild as the Euros dream inches closer
The Three Lions crowd around Ollie Watkins after he scored the winner against the Netherlands
England fans at Millennium Square, Leeds, during a screening of England’s semi-final
Harry Kane celebrates after scoring a penalty against the Netherlands
England’s squad, including Saka, Kane and Mainoo celebrate the equaliser in front of the fans
With 30 minutes remaining, the Netherlands came back into the game, seeing more of the ball as the semi-final became more even as England fans watched the game through their fingers.
Their pressure almost paid off as Virgil Van Dijk forced a smart save out of Pickford to keep the scores level in the 65th minute.
England fans were sent into raptures again with 11 minutes to go as Saka gave the Three Lions the lead, finishing off a brilliant team goal. But their cheers soon turned to despair as the offside flag ruled that Walker – who cut the ball back for Saka – was offside in the lead-up.
Moving into the final seven minutes, Marc Guehi brilliantly intervened to block Wout Weghorst from scoring at the other end.
And the memory of Saka’s goal being ruled out was all forgotten about when Cole Palmer played Ollie Watkins in, who swiveled his body and fired a strike into the bottom left corner with seconds to go to send England to Berlin.
Shortly after full-time, King Charles and Queen Camilla congratulated the team, with a statement. His Majesty said: ‘My wife and I join all our family in wishing you the warmest congratulations on reaching the final of the U.E.F.A. European Championship – and in sending our very best wishes for Sunday’s match.
‘If I may encourage you to secure victory before the need for any last minute wonder-goals or another penalties drama, I am sure the stresses on the nation’s collective heart rate and blood pressure would be greatly alleviated! Good luck, England. Charles R.’
Prince William, the president of the FA and a lifelong Aston Villa fan, tweeted: ‘What a beauty, Ollie! Congratulations England! #EURO2024 Finalists. W.’
