Jean-Philippe Mateta has clarified that there are no hard feelings between him and his former Crystal Palace teammate Wilfried Zaha, following their recent public disagreement which has since been resolved privately.
The Eagles striker, who recently received his first senior France call-up and scored on his debut during a 2-2 draw with Iceland, had suggested in an interview with L’Equipe that “teammates like Wilfried Zaha” were “laughing” at his aspirations to play for the national team.
Zaha, now with MLS club Charlotte FC on loan from Galatasaray, refuted these claims, indicating there had been some miscommunication.
<pBefore the upcoming Conference League match against AEK Larnaca at Selhurst Park, Mateta stated that he and Zaha have openly addressed and moved on from the issue.
“I had a conversation with him. Everything is good,” Mateta remarked, who recently scored a hat-trick in a thrilling 3-3 Premier League draw against Bournemouth.
The 28-year-old currently ranks joint third in the Premier League scoring charts with five goals in eight matches this season.
– Zaha responds to Mateta regarding France call-up comments
– View Premier League standings
Mateta’s contract runs until the summer of 2027, but he emphasizes that negotiations are not currently his priority. “I’m focused on my season,” he stated. “My only concern is the game on Thursday.”
Mateta also expressed his pride in receiving his maiden senior France call-up, stating, “I am incredibly proud and happy. I believe I earned it through my hard work in training with the team. It’s a dream come true, and I hope to be selected again in the future.”