Zaha hits back at Mateta’s France call-up story
Wilfried Zaha has publicly rejected claims made by former Crystal Palace teammate Jean-Philippe Mateta, who said Zaha mocked his ambitions to play for France. Mateta, now a forward at Charlotte FC on loan from Galatasaray, recently earned his first international start and scored for France, but said early Palace teammates, including Zaha, doubted his prospects. Zaha issued a firm statement denying any ill intent and described Mateta’s comments as “disgusting.”
Mateta, who joined Crystal Palace in January 2021 and played alongside Zaha for two-and-a-half years, told l’Équipe that during his initial Palace period, when he was not a first-team regular, Zaha and others laughed at his goal to represent France. “They said I was mad to think about the France team when I wasn’t even playing at Palace, but I said it was my objective,” Mateta said.
Zaha responded on social media, saying: “Everyone knows me—on the pitch I’m passionate, but I never bullied or said someone wouldn’t make it.” He emphasized the conversation involved several Palace players joking together about Mateta’s chances given the competition from players like Karim Benzema. “We never said ‘you’re never going to make it.’ Why single me out?”
The Ivory Coast international added that despite congratulating Mateta on his France debut, he was hurt by the public nature of the accusations, which contrasted with their private banter as teammates. “This is why I don’t have football friends. How is he going to do that?”
Mateta’s strong Premier League form this season, with 40 goals since 2023–24 began, led to his international call-up and goal, marking a milestone in his career progression after moving to Major League Soccer on loan.
The dispute sheds light on the complexities of player relationships in modern football, where professional rivalry and personal dynamics often intersect. For Crystal Palace, it highlights the challenges of maintaining squad unity amid individual career ambitions, while for Zaha and Mateta, it marks a moment of public clarification that could influence their future interactions.