Crystal Palace forward Jean-Philippe Mateta has been rewarded for his fine form with a first ever call to the senior France squad. Didier Deschamps named the 28-year-old striker in the national team roster for France’s upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Azerbaijan and Iceland, marking a landmark moment in Mateta’s career.
The announcement comes amid an impressive run of performances from Mateta, who has scored twice in six Premier League appearances this season and played an influential role in Palace’s 18-match unbeaten streak in all competitions.
While he has represented France at youth level and starred at the 2024 Olympics with five goals in six matches as Les Bleus took silver, he had until now been overlooked for the full national team.
Deschamps offered a rationale for his selection, noting that Mateta’s consistency, physical presence, and goal threat made him a valuable addition to the squad.
In a public explanation, Deschamps said that Mateta “brings another dimension” to the attacking group, and praised his recent scoring form and all-round contribution at club level. The coach’s decision reflects a belief that Mateta can compete for minutes in a crowded French forward line.
For Mateta himself, the call-up is the fulfilment of a long-held ambition. He has admitted publicly his desire to don the blue jersey at senior level. In May 2024, he said: “Les Bleus! It’s so important to me. I won’t hide it — I’m thinking about the Euros, the France national team — it’s my No.1 objective, my childhood dream.” That same season he had impressed in the Premier League and drawn transfer interest, further raising his profile in French football circles.
Mateta’s path to this breakthrough was far from straightforward. Born in Sevran, on the outskirts of Paris, he progressed through France’s youth systems and signed for Lyon in 2016 from Châteauroux. After stints at Le Havre on loan and a move to Mainz in the Bundesliga in 2018, it was in Germany that Mateta developed his reputation as a strong, physical forward capable of scoring regularly.
His subsequent move to Crystal Palace in January 2021, initially on loan with an option to buy, offered a new stage for him to prove himself in one of the most demanding leagues in the world. While his early years at Palace were inconsistent, he gradually regained form, and in recent seasons has become a central figure in the club’s attacking plans.
Beyond domestic club success, Mateta also showed up on the international stage at the Olympic tournament in Paris. As an over-age selection by Thierry Henry, he made an immediate impact, notably converting decisive opportunities and helping France reach the final, where they ultimately took silver.
The timing of Mateta’s call-up also coincides with injuries to other attacking options in the French setup. Players such as Ousmane Dembélé and Désiré Doué are unavailable, opening a window of opportunity for Mateta to stake his claim.
Moreover, the French side already features some familiar faces: Kylian Mbappé, Michael Olise, and Hugo Ekitike were among those retained in Deschamps’s selection. For Mateta, standing among those names will be a testament to the progress he has made.
In the upcoming qualifiers, France will host Azerbaijan before travelling to Iceland.