Wilfried Zaha blasts Jean-Philippe Mateta over 'disgusting' France dream laughter claims

Updated: 18 Oct, 2025 • 0 • min read

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Wilfried Zaha blasts Jean-Philippe Mateta over 'disgusting' France dream laughter claims

Photo: Getty Images

Wilfried Zaha has fired back at Jean-Philippe Mateta after the French striker claimed the winger once laughed at his dream of playing for France.

Mateta, now enjoying a breakout year, recently received his first senior France call-up from Didier Deschamps, making his debut in Les Bleus' World Cup qualifying win over Azerbaijan.

He followed that up with a goal against Iceland, capping off a remarkable rise after years of inconsistency at Crystal Palace.

But before the striker could even finish celebrating his international breakthrough, comments he made to L'Équipe stirred controversy, and infuriated his former teammate.

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.

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.

Zaha: "It's Disgusting"

Zaha, now playing for Charlotte FC in MLS, quickly hit back with a furious response in an Instagram Live, branding Mateta's version of events "disgusting" and "nasty."

I've got to clear up this Mateta situation because he doesn't want to. I spoke to him and he doesn't want to, he's okay with it.

I'd never bully someone or say someone won't make it here or won't make it all. Nothing like that.

It's disgusting when I see that someone who I thought was a friend do that.

The ex-Ivory Coast international insisted the exchange Mateta referred to had been harmless dressing-room banter among teammates, not ridicule.

There was ten players that he had this conversation with.

As friends, we laughed it off but we were joking around that it was going to be difficult, especially with [Karim] Benzema and all these different players playing in those positions. But we never, ever once said, "You're never going to make it."

Why would he say my name when there was ten people? Was it because Zaha is the biggest name?

It's nasty, man, it is nasty! This is why I don't have football friends and keep myself to myself.

From Congratulations to Confrontation

Zaha pointed out that he had even congratulated Mateta publicly on Instagram when his France call-up was announced earlier this month.

I even congratulated him publicly on his Instagram, on his posts, so to hear that story come out it's like, "What the f***?" Did you dislike me the whole time for you to come out with this?

Mateta has yet to respond publicly to Zaha's claims, but the feud has left fans divided, with some defending the striker's right to share his story, whilst others backing Zaha for speaking out.

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