Asked about getting his first provisional England call-up on the same day he ruptured his Achilles tendon in 2021, Eze said exclusively to GOAL'sBeast Mode On podcast: "So at that point I was in a good little period where I’d been playing well and doing my thing so I felt comfortable - this is my first year at Palace.
"I didn't get the message [about a potential England call up] until after the training session. So I went out for training, went to just push off and felt my Achilles pop. [I was] looking around and no one's there, you're thinking someone's kicked you but no.
"I've then gone in. They've taken me in, doctors, they've said, ‘yeah, it's ruptured’. I’ve gone to check my phone to call my wife, to tell her what's happened, and I see a message from the England guys. It was the provisional message that you get.
"You get a message that says that you've been part of a pool of players who can be selected for this international camp. So I could have been one of however many players to get that message. So not selected but in the conversation. But for me at that point, that would have been enough. I've never been in that situation, with the first team it’s different.
"In that moment, before I saw the message, tears - this is pain. I can’t believe this. Right when I'm in my stride and I'm feeling myself right now."