The redemption of Jean-Philippe Mateta: How the Crystal Palace striker booked a place at the World Cup
Jean-Philippe Mateta was sitting pensively, his evening meal going cold on the plate in front of him as he stared at his television. Waiting and hoping — desperately — to hear his name read out.
On the screen, Didier Deschamps was announcing France’s 26-man World Cup squad on TF1’s evening news bulletin. The names were relayed with no little drama, the head coach clearly relishing the big reveal, starting with the three goalkeepers and then moving up through the team one by one. When Mateta’s Crystal Palace team-mate Maxence Lacroix’s name was read out, a huge grin spread across the striker’s face. He applauded vigorously.
Then the nerves kicked back in. On went Deschamps through the list of midfielders — “Adrien Rabiot, Aurelien Tchouameni, Warren Zaire-Emery” — before embarking upon a mouth-watering roster of attackers. He began with Maghnes Akliouche and Bradley Barcola. Then Rayan Cherki and the Paris Saint-Germain pair Ousmane Dembele and Desire Doue. There had been no mention, yet, of either Kylian Mbappe or Michael Olise, both certainties to make the trip to the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
But there he was. “Jean-Philippe Mateta,” delivered Deschamps.
A mischievous smile greeted the announcement of his name as he glanced to his left where his mother was whooping with delight. If he was attempting to play it cool, his efforts were rather wrecked as she swooped in, all “bravo, bravo, bravo”, to envelop him in a bear hug. When he emerged, Mateta actually looked more shocked than happy. Delighted, but astonished.
🤩 La réaction de Jean-Philippe Mateta quand il apprend sa sélection pour la Coupe du monde 2026 🌎
Le doc “Strikers” sera disponible cet été sur CANAL+ 🖥️ pic.twitter.com/9dx7VzSvzt
— CANAL+ Foot (@CanalplusFoot) May 15, 2026
His surprise was well merited. A season that had threatened to veer away from the forward as injury and an aborted mid-winter transfer to Milan appeared to have wrecked momentum at precisely the wrong time has been transformed over recent weeks.
This campaign is now a story of redemption. One that will culminate in an appearance in a major European final on Wednesday night as Palace take on Rayo Vallecano in the UEFA Conference League in Leipzig, and a place in an impressive France squad who will travel to the World Cup hoping to go one better than they managed as beaten finalists in 2022.
In that context, Mateta could be forgiven for pinching himself.
“It was really funny,” Lacroix told reporters of his team-mate’s reaction to his call up last week. “He was even more happy for me than he was for himself. It was a good moment. Why? Because we have spoken about that for a long time. Of course, the World Cup was somewhere in our heads. To accomplish this together is really good.”
Jean-Philippe Mateta and Maxence Lacroix will both be at the summer’s World Cup with France (Richard Pelham/Getty Images)
It is what happened since January that is truly remarkable.
A reminder of where Mateta found himself at the turn of the year: the striker had been playing in pain since November, with a knee injury and a cluttered fixture schedule dulling his form.
Then, with the club in the midst of a damaging winless run and already reeling from the sale of Marc Guehi to Manchester City and manager Oliver Glasner’s impromptu announcement that he, too, would be exiting upon the expiry of his contract in the summer, the French striker made clear his desire to move on.
He was booed by a section of the Palace support after labouring — his knee limiting his impact — through a home defeat to Chelsea towards the end of January. Disparaging songs were aired, referencing his spat with former team-mate Wilfried Zaha. His status as this club’s corner-flag kicking cult hero, and a key member of the side who had claimed the FA Cup in 2025, had been lost.
Nottingham Forest declared an interest in signing him. Palace signed Jorgen Strand Larsen from Wolverhampton Wanderers for an initial £43million ($58m), a club-record fee. Then, with the clock ticking down towards the deadline, they struck a deal worth more than €30m (£26m; $35.6m) with AC Milan to sell Mateta.
Personal terms were agreed and medical checks undertaken. Then the Italian club pulled out of the move on deadline day.
Jean-Philippe Mateta had been playing through the pain barrier since November (Matt McNulty/Getty Images)
As the dust settled once the window had closed, Mateta’s hopes of adding to his three France caps, let alone his Premier League goal tally, looked dashed. There was a decision to be made over the state of his knee. And, if he harboured any hopes still of making the World Cup, bridges to be rebuilt with his club.
Surgery would have ended that World Cup dream for good. Yet, with the summer tournament very much in mind, the decision was made to manage the knee issue with rest before returning gradually to training and, potentially, competitive action.
The 28-year-old was absent for almost seven weeks after that Chelsea defeat before returning to the fold for the Conference League game against AEK Larnaca in mid-March.
“I was just realistic,” Mateta told reporters last week. “When I knew it was off with Milan, I knew I had to come back. When there was no surgery, I knew I had to come back earlier in my head and work hard. There was a new striker (Strand Larsen) at the club, so there was competition.
“It wasn’t easy. It was a lot of work. I worked with some beautiful people who helped me. You just have to believe in yourself.
“I’m very proud. After all these things, I’ve got a call-up for France — the best national team in the world. It means a lot to me.”
Reintegration into the group was another matter.
Mateta is a huge personality at Palace, a larger-than-life character who dominates the dressing room. Had he reacted poorly to the way his mid-season move had petered out, there was scope for the group to be disrupted.
Yet his team-mates insist there was no moping about. Instead, his was a determination to recover fitness and form, and give Deschamps a decision to make. “When he came back in after his injury, he was the same,” Brennan Johnson told reporters. “It felt like he hadn’t been away. It was the lift that the boys needed at the time.
“I feel like we were in a difficult space. But having him back, a top-class striker, it was always going to help the team. It was like it (the on-off transfer) hadn’t even happened. It felt like he’d just been injured for a little bit. As soon as he came back into the squad, he was so supportive of everyone.”
Jean-Philippe Mateta saw a mid-season move to Milan scuppered at the last (Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
Palace’s signing of Strand Larsen had facilitated the choice not to have surgery, with the club aware they had a ready-made alternative No 9 in the ranks, with Mateta missing eight games. When he returned off the bench against AEK Larnaca and Leeds United in the Premier League, there were boos from some supporters with scepticism still rife over his commitment and motivation.
But, in the months since, Mateta has managed to convince the vast majority. There was a goal — albeit from the penalty spot — on his first start in over three months against Fiorentina at Selhurst Park. A brace off the bench against Newcastle United provided a reminder of the qualities he provides when confident. Since then, he has not looked back.
“It’s proof of a good, big character,” said Lacroix. “Because when you’re in this type of situation, it’s really hard and you think about a lot of stuff. But he stuck to his principles and we are really happy for him.”
There has been unwavering support from manager Oliver Glasner, too. “I’m always honest with my players,” Glasner said in his press conference before the 2-2 draw with Brentford.
“I said to JP, as a striker you have one thing to do — score goals. If you don’t play you can’t be called up and you need to show your manager you can help the team to win. JP’s profile, how he is as a player… every manager wants to have him in the squad. His personality is amazing. It’ll never get boring with JP.
“He’s scoring consistently. He can always have an impact. If they need a goal with 15 mins to go — look at JP, I know he can score. All this together is why he was called up and he completely deserves it.”
Jean-Philippe Mateta’s reintegration is complete (Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)
His performances have certainly lanced much of the tension.
There was a goal to celebrate on the final day of the Premier League season, too — his 50th in the competition — as a well-taken header flew beyond Kepa Arrizabalaga late on. Prior to the game against the champions, Mateta had been presented with a framed picture from former Palace striker Mark Bright to mark 200 games in a Palace shirt, with former team-mate Eberechi Eze joining the photo opportunity.
Look who got involved 👀 pic.twitter.com/NBtZV9iXcs
— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) May 24, 2026
Perhaps the bonds with the Palace fanbase are not quite as strong as they once were, but the anger has largely subsided. They recognise the value he brings to a team chasing a third piece of silverware in 12 months.
“I had it with Filip Kostic at Frankfurt,” Glasner said. “He wanted to leave for Lazio or Roma but the club didn’t sell because the bid was not enough and he was disappointed.
“He was similar to JP, a big hero. I said: ‘If you forced the club to sell you, maybe you go as a traitor, and I say this is what you don’t deserve. You’ve given this club so much, you have to go through this big gate with the fans standing left and right and they will applaud and cheer you.’
“He stayed and we won the Europa League with him becoming the player of the tournament. Then we had this parade, the fans were cheering and applauding him. And then he went to Juventus. It was a bigger club for him and the club was fine because of the fee. A year later everything happened that he wanted.
“It’s the same for JP. He has done so much for this club, especially in the past two years. Maybe you have a few weeks where you get a bit confused, but it’s normal. When you consider the circumstances, he’s 28 and has a big contract offer. There are many things to consider. You can appreciate and like what you have, but when you see what you could have it’s not so easy to deal with.
“He had a few weeks where he was a bit confused, but as soon as it was clear he would stay at Palace the confusion had gone and he worked hard to get back and achieve our goals.”
Jean-Philippe Mateta is hoping to make his mark with France at the World Cup (Alex Pantling/Getty Images)
Mateta has played an important supporting role since his return in helping Palace to the UEFA Conference League final. His injury does not appear to be inhibiting him.
His contract situation has been rumbling on for almost two years — his deal expires in the summer of 2027 — and there is no sign of an extension being agreed. With the club-record fee paid for Strand Larsen, the mid-season interest from Italy and a determination to play Champions League football, it is possible Mateta will still depart Palace this summer.
However, his form and the risks of bringing in another striker along with the cost involved, may mean that, if Palace’s asking price is not met, he ends up seeing out his contract after all.
First, though, he will have an important role in Leipzig, not just on the pitch but as the team’s chief mischief-maker.
“It’s just football. I’m not the first to have this and I won’t be the last,” he added of the fallout from the failed move to AC Milan. “I like pressure.
“I like that people thought it was finished when it was not.”
