Eze does it
A return to his boyhood club, a hat-trick against their biggest rivals and a brilliant start that has fans dreaming of trophies on all fronts – it’s been one long pinch-me moment since Eberechi Eze signed for Arsenal. The Gunners ace fills us in on a wild ride so far but points out that he is only getting started. “I’m not just happy to be here,” he tells Champions Journal. “I want to win”
INTERVIEW Joe Terry | PHOTOGRAPHY Julian Finney
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They say to be careful what you wish for, but good luck convincing Eberechi Eze. “That’s what I prayed for,” revealed the Arsenal ace after his superb hat-trick to dismantle Tottenham Hotspur in November, the first in a north London derby since 1978 and the cherry on top of a near-perfect return to his boyhood club. Against the team he so nearly joined instead, no less.
Welcomed back at Arsenal this summer via an interview with Ian Wright, a video message from Thierry Henry and the iconic No10 jersey worn by Dennis Bergkamp, Eze’s blockbuster move was another wish come true. And although much about his homecoming initially focused on the past, now, after his scintillating treble to humble Arsenal’s local rivals, Eze has seemingly written the first chapter of his future at the club.
No longer is the talk about the young boy released by the Gunners 14 years ago, but about his exciting talent that looks capable of terrorising teams for years to come. After winning the FA Cup last season with Crystal Palace, Eze is now among the prize jewels in one of the strongest squads in the Champions League – a competition he admits he joined Arsenal “to win”.
But for all that confident ambition, there is a humble side to the club’s new creative force. We’re speaking at Arsenal’s London Colney training ground two days before that incredible hat-trick that will cement his place in Gunners folklore. Eze pauses to consider each question before offering a sincere and thoughtful response.
He is softly-spoken and grounded, exuding a calm that was clear to see during the celebrations against Spurs. After each of his goals, with his team-mates hurling themselves at him and 60,000 fans screaming his name, it would have been easy for Eze to lose himself in his own success. Instead, Arsenal’s No10 made his crowning moment all about something else entirely, dropping to his knees, lowering his head and pointing to the sky.
It speaks to the mindset of this young man who hopes to emulate Arsenal’s heroes of the past as the club continue their campaign tipped by many to end in success. In fact, so self-aware is he that when he says his new team need simply to “keep on doing what we’re doing” to bring home silverware, it’s very hard not to believe him.
From watching the Gunners play in the Champions League as a boy to stepping out onto the pitch and hearing the iconic anthem for himself, it has already been quite the journey for the 27-year-old – with the certainty of plenty more to come. Here, to quote the Sampha song that has become his personal soundtrack since joining Arsenal in the summer, Eze tells us how he “let it all work out”.
Your Arsenal story is so interesting. You were a fan, you played in the academy, left at 13 and are now back 14 years later. What has it been like for you to come full circle?
Yeah, something I’ve wanted from the moment I started playing professional football and playing with professional footballers has always been to play for Arsenal. To get the opportunity, to work as hard as I’ve worked, and to warrant this position is a blessing from God – and I’m grateful for it. That’s how I am as a person. I’ll give everything because of what it means to be here. Also, it’s not just about me; it’s bigger than me. It’s bigger than this, so it’s an important stage.
Take me back to that moment when the deal was made and what you felt at that time.
What did I feel? I can’t remember feeling an awful lot, man. I feel like it was just so crazy how everything happened. I was just in the middle of loads of stuff going on, so maybe relief at the start was the first feeling – that this actually happened and it’s now an opportunity just to settle down and to get playing and do my stuff. But, yeah, it was a bit of a whirlwind when it happened.
“Remembering where you’ve come from and what it’s like not to have is important. My faith helps with that. It’s a massive part of me and my identity”
Arsenal's latest tifo in the North London Derby
What’s it been like working with Mikel Arteta? You said when you signed that you felt he was going to make you better. Is that already happening?
Yeah, 100 per cent. I’ve grown so much as a player and in the way that I think, the way I see the game. And his energy allows you to continue pushing, continue wanting to be better, and the environment that’s been created is very special. It’s something that I’ve wanted, something I’ve totally bought into, so I’m only expecting and praying for positive outcomes.
Is there anything you didn’t expect with his approach to management?
I don’t think so. I think from the first time I spoke to him, I knew what type of guy he was. You could see the energy, you could see the enthusiasm and drive to want to be better and to improve and to win, ultimately. And that’s infectious. It’s good to be part of, and as I said, it’s something that I wanted myself. And being part of it, part of growing, improving, is where you want to be.
What are the conversations that you two have had about your role in the team?
It varies depending on the opponent, on the squad, on what’s going on. I know that I’ve been brought into the club to be myself, and I’m a creative guy, I’m an instinctual player, and I want to do whatever it takes to win for my team. So, I know that it’s no different to anywhere else I’ve ever been: to be myself and to help the team improve. That’s the main thing.
“I’ve grown so much as a player in the way i think, the way i see the game, and Arteta’s energy allows you to keep pushing”
Things are going really well for Arsenal: top of the Premier League, going well in the Champions League. What is it about the team, the squad, that sets it apart?
I would say the belief and attention to detail that we have is something I haven’t experienced before. There’s a full conviction in whatever it is that we do, and that results in good performances. You don’t know what the result will be, but you give yourself the best chance, and that’s something I don’t think is easy to create. So, again, they had this from before I was here, so to come in, to be part of it and to add to it is a big plus.
Where does it come from, this kind of mentality?
I think it comes from the characters that you have in the team, ultimately coming from the manager. You see that everyone is singing from the same hymn sheet, and when you have that, it can be very powerful.
Thierry Henry, a club legend, said his favourite game for Arsenal was when he came back at the start of his second spell. I wonder if that resonates with you.
I guess it’s slightly different. I don’t want to compare myself to Thierry. I think after him doing so much for the club, to go away and then to come back, I can definitely understand. For me, it’s a bit different – I was here as a young kid; I haven’t done anything for the club yet. It’s special as someone who loves Arsenal, it’s special to be here, but I’ve got a long way to go. There’s a lot of work to be done, there’s a lot of things to achieve, and this is more what I’m focused on. Being happy to be here is not a way to be. That’s not part of my make-up.
Are you confident that success is on the horizon here?
Yeah. I think, as long as we keep on doing what we’re doing, we keep pushing, working, applying ourselves and not hoping for it to come but trusting in the process and the work that we’re doing, yeah, there’s no reason why not.
The first Arsenal player to ever score a hattrick on their North London derby debut (top left & left); Eze in Champions League action (top)
The first Arsenal player to ever score a hattrick on their North London derby debut (top left & left); Eze in Champions League action (top)
Welcomed back at Arsenal this summer via an interview with Ian Wright, a video message from Thierry Henry and the iconic No10 jersey worn by Dennis Bergkamp, Eze’s blockbuster move was another wish come true. And although much about his homecoming initially focused on the past, now, after his scintillating treble to humble Arsenal’s local rivals, Eze has seemingly written the first chapter of his future at the club.
No longer is the talk about the young boy released by the Gunners 14 years ago, but about his exciting talent that looks capable of terrorising teams for years to come. After winning the FA Cup last season with Crystal Palace, Eze is now among the prize jewels in one of the strongest squads in the Champions League – a competition he admits he joined Arsenal “to win”.
But for all that confident ambition, there is a humble side to the club’s new creative force. We’re speaking at Arsenal’s London Colney training ground two days before that incredible hat-trick that will cement his place in Gunners folklore. Eze pauses to consider each question before offering a sincere and thoughtful response.
He is softly-spoken and grounded, exuding a calm that was clear to see during the celebrations against Spurs. After each of his goals, with his team-mates hurling themselves at him and 60,000 fans screaming his name, it would have been easy for Eze to lose himself in his own success. Instead, Arsenal’s No10 made his crowning moment all about something else entirely, dropping to his knees, lowering his head and pointing to the sky.
It speaks to the mindset of this young man who hopes to emulate Arsenal’s heroes of the past as the club continue their campaign tipped by many to end in success. In fact, so self-aware is he that when he says his new team need simply to “keep on doing what we’re doing” to bring home silverware, it’s very hard not to believe him.
From watching the Gunners play in the Champions League as a boy to stepping out onto the pitch and hearing the iconic anthem for himself, it has already been quite the journey for the 27-year-old – with the certainty of plenty more to come. Here, to quote the Sampha song that has become his personal soundtrack since joining Arsenal in the summer, Eze tells us how he “let it all work out”.
Your Arsenal story is so interesting. You were a fan, you played in the academy, left at 13 and are now back 14 years later. What has it been like for you to come full circle?
Yeah, something I’ve wanted from the moment I started playing professional football and playing with professional footballers has always been to play for Arsenal. To get the opportunity, to work as hard as I’ve worked, and to warrant this position is a blessing from God – and I’m grateful for it. That’s how I am as a person. I’ll give everything because of what it means to be here. Also, it’s not just about me; it’s bigger than me. It’s bigger than this, so it’s an important stage.
Take me back to that moment when the deal was made and what you felt at that time.
What did I feel? I can’t remember feeling an awful lot, man. I feel like it was just so crazy how everything happened. I was just in the middle of loads of stuff going on, so maybe relief at the start was the first feeling – that this actually happened and it’s now an opportunity just to settle down and to get playing and do my stuff. But, yeah, it was a bit of a whirlwind when it happened.
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“Remembering where you’ve come from and what it’s like not to have is important. My faith helps with that. It’s a massive part of me and my identity”
Arsenal's latest tifo in the North London Derby
What’s it been like working with Mikel Arteta? You said when you signed that you felt he was going to make you better. Is that already happening?
Yeah, 100 per cent. I’ve grown so much as a player and in the way that I think, the way I see the game. And his energy allows you to continue pushing, continue wanting to be better, and the environment that’s been created is very special. It’s something that I’ve wanted, something I’ve totally bought into, so I’m only expecting and praying for positive outcomes.
Is there anything you didn’t expect with his approach to management?
I don’t think so. I think from the first time I spoke to him, I knew what type of guy he was. You could see the energy, you could see the enthusiasm and drive to want to be better and to improve and to win, ultimately. And that’s infectious. It’s good to be part of, and as I said, it’s something that I wanted myself. And being part of it, part of growing, improving, is where you want to be.
What are the conversations that you two have had about your role in the team?
It varies depending on the opponent, on the squad, on what’s going on. I know that I’ve been brought into the club to be myself, and I’m a creative guy, I’m an instinctual player, and I want to do whatever it takes to win for my team. So, I know that it’s no different to anywhere else I’ve ever been: to be myself and to help the team improve. That’s the main thing.
“I’ve grown so much as a player in the way i think, the way i see the game, and Arteta’s energy allows you to keep pushing”
Things are going really well for Arsenal: top of the Premier League, going well in the Champions League. What is it about the team, the squad, that sets it apart?
I would say the belief and attention to detail that we have is something I haven’t experienced before. There’s a full conviction in whatever it is that we do, and that results in good performances. You don’t know what the result will be, but you give yourself the best chance, and that’s something I don’t think is easy to create. So, again, they had this from before I was here, so to come in, to be part of it and to add to it is a big plus.
Where does it come from, this kind of mentality?
I think it comes from the characters that you have in the team, ultimately coming from the manager. You see that everyone is singing from the same hymn sheet, and when you have that, it can be very powerful.
Thierry Henry, a club legend, said his favourite game for Arsenal was when he came back at the start of his second spell. I wonder if that resonates with you.
I guess it’s slightly different. I don’t want to compare myself to Thierry. I think after him doing so much for the club, to go away and then to come back, I can definitely understand. For me, it’s a bit different – I was here as a young kid; I haven’t done anything for the club yet. It’s special as someone who loves Arsenal, it’s special to be here, but I’ve got a long way to go. There’s a lot of work to be done, there’s a lot of things to achieve, and this is more what I’m focused on. Being happy to be here is not a way to be. That’s not part of my make-up.
Are you confident that success is on the horizon here?
Yeah. I think, as long as we keep on doing what we’re doing, we keep pushing, working, applying ourselves and not hoping for it to come but trusting in the process and the work that we’re doing, yeah, there’s no reason why not.
The first Arsenal player to ever score a hattrick on their North London derby debut (top left & left); Eze in Champions League action (top)
The first Arsenal player to ever score a hattrick on their North London derby debut (top left & left); Eze in Champions League action (top)
Welcomed back at Arsenal this summer via an interview with Ian Wright, a video message from Thierry Henry and the iconic No10 jersey worn by Dennis Bergkamp, Eze’s blockbuster move was another wish come true. And although much about his homecoming initially focused on the past, now, after his scintillating treble to humble Arsenal’s local rivals, Eze has seemingly written the first chapter of his future at the club.
No longer is the talk about the young boy released by the Gunners 14 years ago, but about his exciting talent that looks capable of terrorising teams for years to come. After winning the FA Cup last season with Crystal Palace, Eze is now among the prize jewels in one of the strongest squads in the Champions League – a competition he admits he joined Arsenal “to win”.
But for all that confident ambition, there is a humble side to the club’s new creative force. We’re speaking at Arsenal’s London Colney training ground two days before that incredible hat-trick that will cement his place in Gunners folklore. Eze pauses to consider each question before offering a sincere and thoughtful response.
He is softly-spoken and grounded, exuding a calm that was clear to see during the celebrations against Spurs. After each of his goals, with his team-mates hurling themselves at him and 60,000 fans screaming his name, it would have been easy for Eze to lose himself in his own success. Instead, Arsenal’s No10 made his crowning moment all about something else entirely, dropping to his knees, lowering his head and pointing to the sky.
It speaks to the mindset of this young man who hopes to emulate Arsenal’s heroes of the past as the club continue their campaign tipped by many to end in success. In fact, so self-aware is he that when he says his new team need simply to “keep on doing what we’re doing” to bring home silverware, it’s very hard not to believe him.
From watching the Gunners play in the Champions League as a boy to stepping out onto the pitch and hearing the iconic anthem for himself, it has already been quite the journey for the 27-year-old – with the certainty of plenty more to come. Here, to quote the Sampha song that has become his personal soundtrack since joining Arsenal in the summer, Eze tells us how he “let it all work out”.
Your Arsenal story is so interesting. You were a fan, you played in the academy, left at 13 and are now back 14 years later. What has it been like for you to come full circle?
Yeah, something I’ve wanted from the moment I started playing professional football and playing with professional footballers has always been to play for Arsenal. To get the opportunity, to work as hard as I’ve worked, and to warrant this position is a blessing from God – and I’m grateful for it. That’s how I am as a person. I’ll give everything because of what it means to be here. Also, it’s not just about me; it’s bigger than me. It’s bigger than this, so it’s an important stage.
Take me back to that moment when the deal was made and what you felt at that time.
What did I feel? I can’t remember feeling an awful lot, man. I feel like it was just so crazy how everything happened. I was just in the middle of loads of stuff going on, so maybe relief at the start was the first feeling – that this actually happened and it’s now an opportunity just to settle down and to get playing and do my stuff. But, yeah, it was a bit of a whirlwind when it happened.
“Remembering where you’ve come from and what it’s like not to have is important. My faith helps with that. It’s a massive part of me and my identity”
Arsenal's latest tifo in the North London Derby
What’s it been like working with Mikel Arteta? You said when you signed that you felt he was going to make you better. Is that already happening?
Yeah, 100 per cent. I’ve grown so much as a player and in the way that I think, the way I see the game. And his energy allows you to continue pushing, continue wanting to be better, and the environment that’s been created is very special. It’s something that I’ve wanted, something I’ve totally bought into, so I’m only expecting and praying for positive outcomes.
Is there anything you didn’t expect with his approach to management?
I don’t think so. I think from the first time I spoke to him, I knew what type of guy he was. You could see the energy, you could see the enthusiasm and drive to want to be better and to improve and to win, ultimately. And that’s infectious. It’s good to be part of, and as I said, it’s something that I wanted myself. And being part of it, part of growing, improving, is where you want to be.
What are the conversations that you two have had about your role in the team?
It varies depending on the opponent, on the squad, on what’s going on. I know that I’ve been brought into the club to be myself, and I’m a creative guy, I’m an instinctual player, and I want to do whatever it takes to win for my team. So, I know that it’s no different to anywhere else I’ve ever been: to be myself and to help the team improve. That’s the main thing.
“I’ve grown so much as a player in the way i think, the way i see the game, and Arteta’s energy allows you to keep pushing”
Things are going really well for Arsenal: top of the Premier League, going well in the Champions League. What is it about the team, the squad, that sets it apart?
I would say the belief and attention to detail that we have is something I haven’t experienced before. There’s a full conviction in whatever it is that we do, and that results in good performances. You don’t know what the result will be, but you give yourself the best chance, and that’s something I don’t think is easy to create. So, again, they had this from before I was here, so to come in, to be part of it and to add to it is a big plus.
Where does it come from, this kind of mentality?
I think it comes from the characters that you have in the team, ultimately coming from the manager. You see that everyone is singing from the same hymn sheet, and when you have that, it can be very powerful.
Thierry Henry, a club legend, said his favourite game for Arsenal was when he came back at the start of his second spell. I wonder if that resonates with you.
I guess it’s slightly different. I don’t want to compare myself to Thierry. I think after him doing so much for the club, to go away and then to come back, I can definitely understand. For me, it’s a bit different – I was here as a young kid; I haven’t done anything for the club yet. It’s special as someone who loves Arsenal, it’s special to be here, but I’ve got a long way to go. There’s a lot of work to be done, there’s a lot of things to achieve, and this is more what I’m focused on. Being happy to be here is not a way to be. That’s not part of my make-up.
Are you confident that success is on the horizon here?
Yeah. I think, as long as we keep on doing what we’re doing, we keep pushing, working, applying ourselves and not hoping for it to come but trusting in the process and the work that we’re doing, yeah, there’s no reason why not.
The first Arsenal player to ever score a hattrick on their North London derby debut (top left & left); Eze in Champions League action (top)
The first Arsenal player to ever score a hattrick on their North London derby debut (top left & left); Eze in Champions League action (top)
