Wilfried Zaha has hit back at Jean-Philippe Mateta over the Crystal Palace striker’s claim that he “laughed” at his “dream” of playing for France when still at Selhurst Park.
Zaha, who now plays for MLS side Charlotte FC, left Palace in the summer of 2023 having shared a dressing room with Mateta, before what’s it’s fair to say has been a significant glow-up for the striker since Oliver Glasner arrived as manager.
30 goals across his last two seasons for the Eagles have seen him linked with moves to Liverpool and Manchester United among others, and earn a first call up for France for the latest World Cup qualifiers.
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After making his debut off the bench in the 3-0 win over Azerbaijan, he scored his first goal for Les Blues in the 2-2 draw with Iceland having been handed a start by Didier Deschamps.
Following his international selection, Mateta claimed Zaha and other Palace teammates mocked him when he first revealed his ambition to play for his country.
“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,” he told L’Equipe.
“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.”
Zaha has now taken to social media to respond to his former Palace teammate.
He said: “I’m sorry, but my head’s on fire. I’ve got to clear up this Mateta situation because he doesn’t want to, and this just shows me that.
“See the times when I was playing at Crystal Palace and all these people were watching me, and it’s clear they weren’t happy for me because I never made anyone feel like s***. I never…
“Everyone knows me, the only time on a pitch is when I’m passionate and all of that stuff, but I never bullied someone or said someone won’t make it here or won’t make it at all or nothing like that.
“It’s disgusting when I see someone who I thought was a friend do that.”
Attempting to clear up the controversy, Zaha added: “The conversation that was had was his chances of playing for France way back when he wasn’t playing for Palace and there were 10 players that he had this conversation with and as friends, we laughed it off, but we were joking around, [saying] that it is going to be difficult, especially with [Karim] Benzema all these different players playing in those positions. But we never ever once said, ‘You’re never going to make it.’
“So wouldn’t you be shocked, especially with football banter with your mates? Wouldn’t you be shocked if this person asked this to 10 people?
“I swear to you, 10 Crystal Palace players were there when this conversation was had. Wouldn’t you be shocked that this person has made out like there was some sort of hate from me?
“Why would he say my name when there was 10 people there? Is it just because Zaha is the biggest name? I do not understand. It’s disgusting. I’ve never hated on anyone.
“Now I’m getting messages: ‘Oh, you’re not laughing now at Mateta.’ I couldn’t care less. Well done to him. I even congratulated him publicly on his Instagram. So to hear that story come out, it’s like, what the f***?
“Did you dislike me this whole time for you to come out with this, your come-up story, ‘I’m going to use Zaha as my come-up story?’ Like, it’s nasty, man, it’s nasty.
“This is why I don’t have football friends, this is why I keep myself to myself, because how is he going to do that?”
