First France call-up for Palace striker Mateta
Soccer Football - Premier League - Crystal Palace v Sunderland - Selhurst Park, London, Britain - September 13, 2025 Crystal Palace's Jean-Philippe Mateta in action with Sunderland's Noah Sadiki REUTERS/Ian Walton
PARIS :France handed Crystal Palace forward Jean-Philippe Mateta his first call-up to the squad on Thursday for this month's World Cup qualifiers against visitors Azerbaijan and away to Iceland.
He has been rewarded for his fine club form, scoring four times in all competitions this season for unbeaten Palace, who defeated Liverpool in the Premier League on Saturday to go third in the standings after winning the FA Cup last term.
The 28-year-old has previously been a regular in France's youth teams and featured at the Olympic Games on home soil last year, winning a silver medal.
France coach Didier Deschamps has turned to Mateta with several regular forwards, including Randal Kolo Muani, Marcus Thuram and Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembele, injured.
"It will be his first time though he's not that young. Mateta has a knack for scoring goals. Obviously, it's linked to the absence of Marcus Thuram. But he has a good profile, he did good things notably at the Olympics," Deschamps told reporters.
"He has been part of this preliminary list for quite a while, along with around 50 players."
Mateta joins captain Kylian Mbappe among the attacking options along with Hugo Ekitike, although the Liverpool striker was forced off in Tuesday's 1-0 Champions League loss at Galatasaray.
Group D leaders France host bottom side Azerbaijan at the Parc des Princes on October 10 before travelling to face second-placed Iceland three days later. The French have six points ahead of Iceland on three, with Ukraine and Azerbaijan on one.
Deschamps also said midfielder Paul Pogba, who has joined AS Monaco on a two-year deal after completing a doping ban but is yet to play this season due to fitness issues, still has steps to take before a possible return to the national team.
"Pogba is getting closer to the moment when he will once again become a player in football," Deschamps told reporters.
"A return to the French team is what he wants and if it is a goal in his mind, I have no doubt. But there are steps he has to go through.
"The next step is when he puts on the Monaco shirt and steps onto the pitch. I hope it goes well for him. That alone will be a huge boost for him."
