“I Thought I Could Easily Beat Him With My Skills, But He Shocked Me Instead!” – Eberechi Eze Names the One Arsenal Star Who Left Him Stunned, and It’s Not Saliba or Kiwior
It was a night filled with intensity, flair, and high expectations. Crystal Palace playmaker Eberechi Eze, known for his dazzling footwork and unshakable confidence on the ball, walked onto the pitch believing he could dominate proceedings in one-on-one situations — particularly against a defense that has often been praised, but also occasionally exposed. With William Saliba and Jakub Kiwior both grabbing headlines in recent weeks for their performances, it was expected that Eze would have his hands full. But as it turned out, the real surprise didn’t come from either of those two.
In a candid post-match interview, Eze delivered an admission that left fans stunned and ignited a wave of discussion across social media.
“I thought I could easily beat him with my skills last night, but to my greatest surprise, he shocked me instead,” Eze revealed. “It was yesterday that I truly confirmed what Mbappé said about him.”
That statement alone raised eyebrows. For context, Kylian Mbappé — the French superstar — had previously praised a young Arsenal star in a past interview, highlighting his pace, intelligence, and uncanny ability to read the game. Many brushed it off at the time, believing it was just polite recognition. But Eze’s comments have now revived that discussion.
So who is this Arsenal player that caught Eze completely off guard?
The Name? Ben White.
Yes, it wasn’t Saliba, the commanding centre-back who has drawn comparisons to Virgil van Dijk. And it wasn’t Jakub Kiwior, the solid and versatile defender quietly building his reputation. It was Arsenal’s no-nonsense right-back, Ben White, who stepped up, dominated, and delivered a masterclass in defensive composure.
“Ben White didn’t just defend well — he anticipated everything. His timing was immaculate. I tried to shift the ball quickly, tried to drop the shoulder and glide past him like I usually do, but he was right there every time,” Eze explained. “He wasn’t flashy. He wasn’t loud. He just did the job so quietly, so efficiently, it threw me off completely. He was one step ahead the whole time.”
Fans of Arsenal have long appreciated White’s intelligence and adaptability. Initially brought in as a centre-back, the England international has found a home at right-back under Mikel Arteta, where he combines physical strength with technical ability and tactical awareness. But what made this performance so striking was the way he managed to neutralize one of the Premier League’s most unpredictable and creative attackers.
And Eze wasn’t the only one singing his praises. Even pundits who had questioned Arsenal’s backline depth earlier in the season were forced to admit that White’s display was nothing short of elite.
“Now I understand why Mbappé singled him out,” Eze added. “It wasn’t hype. It was real. He’s incredibly underrated.”
This revelation has not only reignited conversations about Ben White’s role in the England setup ahead of the Euros but has also placed Arsenal’s right-back under a new spotlight. Once viewed as just a solid presence, White is now being hailed as one of the most intelligent defenders in the league — capable of shutting down even the most gifted dribblers on their best night.
As for Eze, his humility in acknowledging White’s dominance has earned him respect from fans on both sides. It’s not every day a player as talented as Eze admits to being outplayed — but when the performance is that convincing, sometimes all you can do is give credit where it’s due.
Arsenal fans will now be watching even more closely as White continues to quietly silence his critics, one world-class dribbler at a time.