Wilfried Zaha has firmly responded to claims made by Jean-Philippe Mateta, the Crystal Palace striker, suggesting that Zaha had “laughed” at his aspirations of playing for the French national team. During their time together at Selhurst Park, Mateta claimed that Zaha and other teammates mocked his dream of representing France.
Now plying his trade in Major League Soccer with Charlotte FC after departing Palace in the summer of 2023, Zaha has taken to social media to address Mateta’s accusations. The Ivorian winger expressed his dismay at Mateta’s portrayal of events, describing his former teammate’s comments as “disgusting.”
Zaha refuted the allegations, stating, “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.” He added, “Everyone knows me, the only time on a pitch is when I’m passionate… I never bullied someone or said someone wouldn’t make it.”
The current form of Mateta, who has become a prolific scorer under manager Oliver Glasner’s helm with 30 goals in the last two seasons, has earned him interest from top-tier clubs including Liverpool and Manchester United, along with a debut call-up to France’s national side. However, Mateta claims Zaha and others laughed off his ambitions when he initially shared them in the dressing room.
In an attempt to dispel the controversy, Zaha explained that any banter about Mateta’s chances of playing for France was light-hearted, pointing out that ten players were present during the conversation. “As friends, we laughed it off, but we were joking around,” Zaha noted, emphasizing that no one truly discouraged Mateta.
Zaha questioned why Mateta singled him out, suggesting it was because of his own prominence. Expressing his frustration, he clarified, “It’s disgusting… I even congratulated him publicly on his Instagram.”
He concluded by expressing his disillusionment with football friendships, stating, “This is why I don’t have football friends, this is why I keep myself to myself.” The episode has evidently left a sour taste for Zaha, who feels unfairly targeted in what he described as Mateta’s “come-up story.”
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