EBERECHI EZE ruptured his Achilles the previous time he was called up by England for a major tournament.
So it's little wonder the Crystal Palace winger — having leapfrogged Jack Grealish, James Maddison and Marcus Rashford into Gareth Southgate’s squad — is extremely grateful to have earned a second chance.
It has not been an easy route to the top for Eze, 25, who was rejected by Arsenal, Fulham, Reading and Millwall as a youngster.
And even when he was signed up by QPR, Eze was farmed out to Wycombe in a spell which included a 1-0 League Two loss at Accrington in November 2017.
He said: “I remember that game! I feel like there are moments along the journey that are tough and difficult — but one thing I’ve always had is faith.
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“I know that God is there and that he’s working for me.
“And I also believe that the talent and gift that he’s given me, as long as I continue to work on it and improve and try my best, I’ll reach the level I want to reach.
“I always try to appreciate how far I’ve come in football. It’s a big difference from Accrington Stanley to where I am now.”
At the previous Euros three years ago, Eze watched all of England’s games from the stands with a cast on his foot after his day of disaster, which saw him make Southgate’s 33-man provisional squad.
He explained: “I got a provisional text — they send you that message before they select the team.
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“It was obviously my first time getting that message but this was after my Achilles had been ruptured on the training pitch.
“I had gone inside, checked my phone and saw the message, so it was a tough day.
But, again, it’s part of the journey, part of the story and I am grateful to be here now.
“I just try my best to let go of the stuff that has happened before. When I got the text this time, I just felt gratitude.
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“I was grateful to be in this position now because I know so many people who would love to be here.
“Every opportunity I get, I’m determined to take it. That was the main emotion for me.”
Eze deserved his call-up, although his impressive form for Palace was bad news for fellow attackers Rashford, Grealish and Maddison.
He said: “They are incredible players and incredible people as well.
During the season, my mindset was quite far from focusing on what they were doing.
“I was just focusing on myself and what I can do to improve and be the best version of myself.”
Eze, who delivered a performance full of promise in the 3-0 friendly win over Bosnia and Herzegovina in Newcastle, is one of four Eagles players in the squad.
Incredibly, they have only started one game together.
And all eyes will be on Palace defender Marc Guehi, 23, who is set to partner John Stones against Serbia in Gelsenkirchen on Sunday.
Asked about club-mate Guehi, Eze said: “He’s an incredible player, an incredible person.
“He’s just ready. You see it in the way he plays, in the way he carries himself. He’s a leader. For someone his age, he’s extremely mature.
“I have no questions about him — I know he’s capable of what he can do whenever he’s called upon.
“He’s strong, he’s fast. He’s smart as well, good on the ball. He’s just incredibly reliable and you know what you will get from him — a high standard.”
