Eberechi Eze, the Crystal Palace midfielder, has shown he's not just a one-trick pony on the pitch, but also a bloody good chess player, winning $20,000 in the process.
Footy Star Turned Chess Champ
Eze took part in the Chess.com PogChamps 6 online tournament, where he claimed first place, proving he's got brains as well as brawn.
In a 12-player celebrity competition, Eze earned a bye into the semi-finals after coming through the round-robin stage. He then beat gymnast Stephen Nedoroscik 2-0 in the semis, before taking down YouTuber Sapnap in the final by the same scoreline.
Celebrating Like He Scored a Screamer
As Eze secured his victory, he shouted "come on" and smiled into the camera with a fist pump, which was more emphatic than his nonchalant celebration after scoring a rocket in the FA Cup semi-final against Aston Villa.
Now, some of you muppets might be wondering, "Is chess actually a sport?" Technically, yes - it's even recognised as a sport by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), although you can't play it in the Olympic Games.
Chess Obsession Fuelled by Teammate
Eze's chess obsession started thanks to his former Palace teammate, Michael Olise. "I didn't start learning chess until Michael came in," the 26-year-old told The Athletic last year. "It was him and my brother who nudged me to learn how to play and face them, so that's when I started studying the game, watching YouTube videos of the best chess openings, things like that. We are always playing something at the training ground."
Two years ago, the two faced off against each other on the Crystal Palace YouTube channel. Olise came out on top, winning the best of three in two straight matches.
Boost for FA Cup Final
Eze's chess tournament win will undoubtedly put him in a good mood ahead of Palace's league match against Nottingham Forest on Monday. But there's no doubt he's eager for their FA Cup final against Manchester City on Saturday 17th May.
Eze's form in the FA Cup this season has been magnificent, with three goals and an assist in four matches - including his wonder strike that helped down Aston Villa in the semi-final.
Palace have never won the FA Cup in their entire 119-year history, having played in the final just twice before and losing both times to Manchester United. Maybe Eze's chess skills will give them the edge they need to finally lift the trophy.
