Eze vows to step up for England penalties despite Champions League final miss

Eberechi Eze has declared he will take a penalty for England at the 2026 World Cup, refusing to let his miss in Arsenal’s Champions League final defeat to Paris Saint-Germain shake his confidence. The 27-year-old rolled his spot kick wide during the eventual 4-3 loss, but insists the moment is something to grow from rather than regret.

“If called upon, for sure,” Eze said when asked whether he would step up in a shootout. “Why wouldn’t I take it?”

Eze was Arsenal’s second penalty taker in the final, and his delayed run-up ended with the ball going wide. Despite the high-profile miss, he said he has no plans to overhaul his technique — only to keep refining it.

“No, I think I have taken penalties for a long time and it’s part of the journey,” he said. “You have to continue to improve, find new ways to improve. I’m not going to stress too much about it because I know I’m in this position for a reason and all the training behind it.”

The playmaker was speaking during England’s training camp in Kansas City ahead of the World Cup, and reflected broadly on what he described as a transformative season. Arsenal’s Premier League title win, in particular, left a lasting impression.

“It was crazy. A beautiful experience to have had that with my friends and family. It’ll live with me forever,” he said of the title parade.

Eze acknowledged the campaign had tested him in multiple ways but said winning a championship changes a player’s mentality in ways that carry into international football.

“Winning gives you belief, a trust in yourself that you can go all the way,” he said. “We’ll all be using that for sure.”

On the Champions League final miss specifically, Eze was philosophical, noting that elite players across history have failed from the spot at decisive moments.

“All the big players have missed big penalties, have experienced these types of moments. For me it’s not something I wish never happened. I’m grateful it happened. I’m going to grow from it, learn from it and move forward.”

With England potentially facing knockout pressure at the World Cup, Eze’s willingness to shoulder that responsibility will be noted by manager and teammates alike.