Jean-Philippe Mateta Addresses Rumors with Wilfried Zaha
Crystal Palace forward Jean-Philippe Mateta has clarified that there are no lingering issues with his former teammate Wilfried Zaha following a reported disagreement during the international break.
The 28-year-old made his debut for the French national team in a 3-0 World Cup qualifying victory over Azerbaijan on October 10, and he subsequently scored in a 2-2 draw against Iceland three days later.
Mateta shared with L'Equipe that Zaha, now playing for Major League Soccer's Charlotte FC, was among those who reportedly laughed when he expressed his aspirations to represent France.
In response, Zaha took to social media to express his frustration, stating that his mind was "on fire" over the comments he had seen.
However, Mateta confirmed that the misunderstanding has been resolved. "I spoke with him," said the striker, who has netted 35 goals in 80 Premier League appearances since Zaha's departure from Crystal Palace to Galatasaray in 2023. "Everything is good. We talked in private, and that’s it."
With a contract that extends until the summer of 2027, Mateta, who has scored seven times for Palace this season, emphasized that he is not concerned about his future. Instead, he is focused on the upcoming match as his club prepares to host AEK Larnaca in the Conference League on Thursday. "I’m focused on my season," he stated. "I’m just thinking about the game."