Jean-Philippe Mateta reveals how Wilfried Zaha used to joke about France call-up – ‘I always dreamed’

Mateta joined the south-east London club on loan from Mainz in 2021 before signing on a permanent deal in January 2022.

The striker struggled to break into the starting 11 at first, but he has been a key figure since the arrival of Austrian manager Oliver Glasner, forcing his way into Didier Deschamps’ France squad for the October World Cup qualifiers against Azerbaijan and Iceland.

Zaha starred for The Eagles during Mateta’s early days at the club, but the Frenchman revealed that the Ivory Coast international found his dreams of a France call-up funny when they were teammates.

“At Crystal Palace, right at the start, when I wasn’t even playing, I spoke about the France team in the dressing room and I had team-mates like Wilfried Zaha who were laughing.

“They said that I was mad to think about the France team when I wasn’t even playing at Crystal Palace, but I responded saying that it was my objective and that I simply had to play to show what I could do.

“My dream has always been to play for the France team. I knew that I would get my chance.”

In Zaha’s defence, few Crystal Palace fans would have expected Mateta to represent France on the international stage during his first two years with the club, but that all changed in the second half of the 2023/24 season.

The 28-year-old was named the club’s Player of the Year after scoring 16 goals and providing six assists in 35 Premier League appearances, with his output notably improving after Glasner’s appointment in February 2024.

He has since established himself as a crucial part of Glasner’s side, having netted 14 league goals last term.

Zaha took to social media to bring further context to the quotes.

“It was never a thing where I laughed at him,” said Zaha.

“It was a thing where we were laughing saying that there are so much players it is going to be a difficult task.”

“That is natural,” he said.

“Every ambitious player wants to make that step, especially when you arrive in the national team and around you there are only players who are playing in the Champions League, who win the biggest trophies.

“When you are surrounded by the best players in the world, naturally, you want to make that step.”