Crystal Palace have never won a major trophy in their 120-year history. That could change Saturday when they face Manchester City in the FA Cup final at iconic Wembley Stadium in London.
There are two knockout cup competitions that teams from the various levels of the English soccer pyramid enter every season: the League Cup and the FA Cup. Saturday will be just the third time Palace have played for either of them. They also reached the FA Cup final in 1990 and 2016, losing to Manchester United in heartbreaking fashion both times.
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Led by a promising group of young players, the South London club and its supporters are hoping the third time will be the charm. An incredible run under newly appointed manager Oliver Glasner to close last season left many feeling optimistic about the possibility of 2024-25 being the best campaign in club history.
Instead, Palace won just one of their first 13 Premier League games. They have been dramatically improved since the calendar turned to 2025 and are up to 12th in the league table with two games remaining in the Premier League season.
But they’ve won their FA Cup matches. And at the heart of Palace’s run to the final are a group of players bonded by their strong faith in God. Headlined by England internationals Marc Guéhi and Eberechi Eze, they are outspoken about their faith in interviews and on social media.
Born in the Ivory Coast, Guéhi is a product of the Chelsea youth academy but never made a first-team appearance for the club. He joined Palace in 2021 following two loan spells at Swansea City and quickly established himself as one of the top young center backs in the Premier League.
What a defender 😮💨
Marc Guéhi through the years ⏩#EmiratesFACup pic.twitter.com/AprOCsjMvp
— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) May 12, 2025
He made his debut with the England men’s national team in March 2022 and was one of the stars of England’s runner-up showing at the 2024 European Championships, playing every minute of the tournament other than the quarterfinal, which he missed through suspension after picking up two yellow cards.
The son of a minister and the team captain for every round of the FA Cup, Guéhi has always made church an important part of his life.
“I’ve grown up loving God and when I have had the chance I still go to church with my family, and my faith is definitely a big part of my life,” he said in 2021. “Faith is everything that I’m involved with, really; even in football, where I’m trying to be a role model and show God’s graciousness and God’s glory through my life.”
Eze is the focal point of Palace’s attack and leads the team with eight assists across all competitions. He is also tied for second on the team with seven goals and has scored three times in four FA Cup appearances.
The 26-year-old opened the scoring in Palace’s 3-0 semifinal victory over Aston Villa with a strike from outside the box.
EBERE EZE. THAT IS INCREDIBLE.
An unbelievable goal from the @CPFC and @England magician 🤯#EmiratesFACup pic.twitter.com/SD364TWvBF
— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) April 26, 2025
Like Guéhi, Eze — who featured three times for England at Euro 2024 — was introduced to the Lord at an early age.
“I’ve grown up in a Christian household, regularly going to church,” he told The Athletic in 2023. “For me, it’s hugely important, simply because of the peace of mind it gives me. It allows me to regulate myself and put things into perspective.
“Football can get super intense and you can get caught up in it all, but my faith allows me to realign my focus and know there’s something greater and that there’s a deeper purpose as to why I’m in the position I’m in.”
Guéhi and Eze aren’t the only ones at Palace playing for God’s glory either. Guéhi’s partner in central defense, Maxence Lacroix, is also strong in his faith.
Acquired from German club Wolfsburg prior to this season, Lacroix has played the fifth-most minutes on the team across all competitions. He regularly uses Bible verses as captions for his Instagram posts and praised God in a post after Palace reached the final.
“SEE WHAT THE LORD HAS DONE!” he wrote. “Incredible atmosphere today from our fans, South London and Proud. Glory To Jesus-Christ”
View this post on Instagram
All three players will be steadied by their faith as they prepare to play one of the biggest games of their careers. Saturday’s final kicks off at 11:30 a.m. ET. Palace will finish their season by hosting Wolves on May 20 and visiting EPL champions Liverpool on May 25.
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