Eberechi Eze reveals the one England star who stood out to him in training as Arsenal forward explains how Thomas Tuchel has set Three Lions up to ‘achieve something incredible’ at 2026 World Cup

In the latest edition of GOAL's Beast Mode On podcast, Eze opened up on his journey to becoming an Arsenal and England star with former team-mate Adebayo Akinfenwa. Having lavished praise on former Chelsea star Eden Hazard as the player who impressed Eze most as a youngster, the former Crystal Palace man also spoke highly of Rashford as the one who stood out the most in his first training session with the national team.

The 27-year-old is now a regular in the England setup, having made his debut in 2023. Eze replaced Rashford midway through the second half in England's 2-0 World Cup qualification over Serbia last week, and wrapped up the victory for the Three Lions with a fine first-time strike at Wembley.

Rather than England captain Harry Kane or Arsenal team-mate Bukayo Saka, it's Rashford who caught Eze's eye when he first linked up with the national team. The 28-year-old left Manchester United for Spanish giants Barcelona on loan over the summer, and has shone in Spain, providing six assists and two goals as the Blaugrana look to defend their La Liga crown.

Speaking exclusively on GOAL's Beast Mode On podcast with Akinfenwa, Eze said: "I’d say in my first session [it was] was Rashy [Marcus Rashford].

"So I've known him, or known of him, because he's played in a similar age group across the country, when you go to tournaments, you see him and stuff like that. And so I've always known he's a good player, but for that first camp, I remember going away like, ‘OK, this guy's on some other stuff’.

"The way he’s striking the ball, the way he's running with the ball, how he operates... He's an incredible, incredible player. I enjoy watching him play."

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Eze has become a mainstay in the England setup and the Arsenal star is expected to make the World Cup squad for football's showpiece next summer. Thomas Tuchel oversaw a 100% qualification record as the Three Lions booked their 2026 flight with ease and many feel England have a great chance of lifting the World Cup for the first time since 1966 in North America.

When asked what it's like to work under Tuchel, Eze replied: "It’s fun working with him because he’s got good energy. He’s a positive character, always giving a good feeling to players around the camp.

"You feel very comfortable, you feel very relaxed. It helps you to be yourself on the pitch as well. Very clear in what he wants from players… specific positions and how he wants to play.

"I feel like we’ve got a good idea idea, a good foundation, a good base to achieve something incredible. That structure that he’s put in place is key to that, for sure."