Ebiowei presented with Premier League debut ball and FUT Card at PL Kicks event
Crystal Palace winger Malcolm Ebiowei was presented with his Premier League debut ball and his FIFA Ultimate Team card at a Premier League Kicks event hosted by Palace For Life Foundation.
Premier League Kicks is a community programme, which supports young people to achieve their potential and improve their wellbeing through weekly football and education workshops.
“Premier League Kicks was perfect, I had one at a youth centre and it was 30 seconds away from my house. It [showed me] how important it was to not hang around, but to enjoy playing football with friends,” he explained
“It helps keep the mind clear, it gives you something to do instead of just sitting around all the time and which could potentially lead to someone doing something bad.”
Ebiowei was one of a number of Palace players, including Wilfried Zaha and John-Kymani Gordon, who were part of the programme.
“This programme definitely [creates a certain type of south London footballer]. You see how tight the pitches are here, they’re astroturf, you have to wiggle your way out of problems and it helps you become better and gain more skills.”
Premier League debut balls come in a personalised, engraved case and are given to all homegrown debutants who have been developed at an Academy of a club in the English football pyramid for three years or more prior to their 21st birthday.
Ebiowei made his Premier League debut coming on as an 87th minute substitute for Eberechi Eze in Palace’s opening fixture of the 2022/23 season against Arsenal - one of the teams he played for at Academy level.
Additionally, Ebiowei was presented with his silver FIFA Ultimate Team card at the event. These cards contain stats and information unique to each player in the game FIFA 23 and Ebiowei is rated 65 'Overall,' and his best attribute is ‘Pace,’ which is rated at 77. This is his first ever card in the game.