Jean-Philippe Mateta
Jean-Philippe Mateta isn't just a powerful striker; he's a player who consistently finds ways to shine, from his early days in French football to becoming a star in the Premier League. His journey from promising youth talent to an Olympic silver medalist and Crystal Palace's Player of the Year showcases a remarkable ascent. Let's delve into the story of the forward making significant waves on both the club and international stages. Mateta's early career saw him rise through French youth clubs and become a record signing for Mainz before making his move to the Premier League. He emerged as Crystal Palace's Player of the Year in the 2023-24 season, delivering crucial goals and setting club records under new management. Representing France, he secured a silver medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics, finishing as a top scorer, and has recently debuted and scored for the senior national team.
AI Summary
Jean-Philippe Mateta isn't just a powerful striker; he's a player who consistently finds ways to shine, from his early days in French football to becoming a star in the Premier League. His journey from promising youth talent to an Olympic silver medalist and Crystal Palace's Player of the Year showcases a remarkable ascent. Let's delve into the story of the forward making significant waves on both the club and international stages.
- Mateta's early career saw him rise through French youth clubs and become a record signing for Mainz before making his move to the Premier League.
- He emerged as Crystal Palace's Player of the Year in the 2023-24 season, delivering crucial goals and setting club records under new management.
- Representing France, he secured a silver medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics, finishing as a top scorer, and has recently debuted and scored for the senior national team.
The Rise of a French Forward
Early Beginnings and French Clubs
Born in Sevran, France, in 1997, Jean-Philippe Mateta inherited a passion for football from his father, a former professional player. This familial connection ignited his journey through youth academies, setting the stage for a promising career in the sport he loved.
Mateta began his professional journey with Châteauroux, where his goal-scoring prowess quickly caught the eye of bigger clubs. In September 2016, a significant step up saw him sign a five-year contract with Ligue 1 giants Lyon, a move that promised a future in top-flight French football.
His time at Lyon included a crucial season-long loan to Ligue 2 side Le Havre in 2017. Here, Mateta truly found his stride, netting an impressive 19 goals in 37 league matches. This prolific form firmly established him as a striker to watch, paving the way for international recognition.
Breaking Records at Mainz 05
His stellar performance in France led to a historic move in June 2018 when Mateta joined German Bundesliga club Mainz 05 on a four-year deal. His arrival marked the most expensive signing in the club's history, a testament to the high hopes placed on his goal-scoring ability.
Mateta quickly justified his hefty price tag, making a significant impact in Germany. On April 5, 2019, he scored his first senior hat-trick in a commanding 5–0 league victory over SC Freiburg, showcasing his clinical finishing and proving he could perform on the big stage.
Premier League Ambition with Crystal Palace
In January 2021, Mateta made the highly anticipated move to the English Premier League, joining Crystal Palace on an initial eighteen-month loan. This represented a new challenge in one of the world's most competitive leagues, a place where many strikers dream of making their mark.
He wasted little time in announcing his arrival, scoring his first goal for Palace in style — a clever backheel flick — during a 2–1 away victory against rivals Brighton & Hove Albion in February 2021. This memorable goal highlighted his technical skill and flair, securing his permanent move to the club in January 2022.
While the 2022–23 season saw him primarily as a substitute, Mateta still delivered moments of magic. He scored a dramatic last-minute winner against Leicester City, ending a long personal goal drought and ensuring Palace broke a thirteen-match winless run upon Roy Hodgson's return to the club.
Player of the Year: The 2023-24 Breakthrough
The 2023-24 season became a true breakout year for Mateta. He opened his account with a hat-trick against Plymouth Argyle in the EFL Cup, a sign of the prolific form to come. Under new manager Oliver Glasner, he was restored to the starting lineup and truly flourished, scoring four times in Glasner's first six matches.
April 2024 saw Mateta nominated for Premier League Player of the Month after scoring back-to-back braces against West Ham and Newcastle United. His incredible form continued, leading him to become the first Premier League player since Alan Shearer in 1997 to score in a manager's first six home games.
His stunning contributions were recognized when he was named Crystal Palace's Player of the Year, becoming the first French recipient of the prestigious award. He capped off the season with his first Premier League hat-trick for the club in a dominant 5–0 victory over Aston Villa, finishing as the club's top scorer with 16 goals.
Trophy Success and European Adventures
The 2024-25 season brought collective triumph. Mateta played a pivotal role in Crystal Palace's historic FA Cup victory, linking up with teammates to set up Eberechi Eze's winning goal in the final against Manchester City — securing the club's first major trophy.
The momentum continued into the 2025-26 season. Mateta scored his first goal at Wembley Stadium in the FA Community Shield against Liverpool, helping Palace win their second trophy in quick succession. Shortly after, he netted the club’s historic first goal in European competition, marking a new chapter for Crystal Palace in the UEFA Conference League.
However, this period also saw a terrifying incident. In an FA Cup match against Millwall, Mateta suffered a severe ear injury requiring 25 stitches and concussion observation after being kicked in the head. Despite the grim nature of the injury, including chants from opposing fans, Mateta recovered with resilience, a true testament to his spirit.
International Recognition
Olympic Glory with France
Mateta proudly represented France at youth levels, including the under-19 and under-21 squads. His exceptional form earned him a spot in Thierry Henry's provisional France squad for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, a dream for any French athlete.
At the Olympics, Mateta proved instrumental. He scored the decisive goal in the quarter-final against Argentina and followed up with two more in the semi-final against Egypt. In the final against Spain, he scored a dramatic 93rd-minute equalizer, forcing extra time, though France ultimately took home a well-deserved silver medal.
Senior National Team Debut
His Olympic heroics paved the way for his first call-up to the senior France national team in October 2025 for World Cup qualifiers. He made his international debut in a 3–0 victory over Azerbaijan, a momentous occasion for any footballer.
Just three days later, Mateta scored his first senior international goal in a 2–2 away draw against Iceland, cementing his place as a rising star for his country. His journey from youth teams to the global stage is a testament to his persistent hard work and undeniable talent.
Honours and Achievements
Jean-Philippe Mateta's career has been marked by significant individual and team honours, highlighting his impact wherever he plays. These include both prestigious club trophies and national recognition.
Summer Olympics silver medal: 2024 FA Cup: 2024–25 FA Community Shield: 2025 Crystal Palace Player of the Season: 2023–24 Knight of the National Order of Merit: 2024
Article
Jean-Philippe Mateta
Jean-Philippe Mateta (born 28 June 1997) is a French professional footballer who plays as a striker for Premier League club Crystal Palace and the France national team.
Mateta began his career with Châteauroux before signing for Ligue 1 side Lyon in 2016. Following a successful loan to second division side Le Havre, he signed for Bundesliga club Mainz 05 in 2018. He joined Crystal Palace in 2021, and with this club he won the 2024–25 FA Cup and 2025 FA Community Shield.
Mateta represented France internationally at under-19 and under-21 youth levels, and later featured in their Olympic team in Paris 2024, finishing as third-highest scorer of the tournament and winning a silver medal.
Early life
Jean-Philippe Mateta
Jean-Philippe Mateta was born on 28 June 1997 in Sevran, Seine-Saint-Denis. His father is from Democratic Republic of the Congo, a former professional footballer who played in Congo and Liège, Belgium.
Club career
Lyon
In September 2016, Mateta signed for Ligue 1 side Lyon from Châteauroux on a five-year contract for a fee of €2 million with a further €3 million possible in bonuses. His former club also retained a 20% sell-on clause on the player. Mateta made his debut for the Ligue 1 side on 21 September 2016 against Montpellier, replacing Maxwel Cornet after 76 minutes in a 5–1 home win. He played his next match four months later in the Coupe de France, again coming on for Cornet against Montpellier, in the 76th minute of a 5–0 home win. He made his first Ligue 1 start against AS Monaco on 23 April 2017. He played 65 minutes, before being replaced by Mathieu Valbuena in a 2–1 home loss.
In July 2017, he joined Ligue 2 side Le Havre on a season-long loan. Mateta scored 19 goals in 37 Ligue 2 matches across the 2017–18 season.
Mainz 05
Mateta playing for Mainz 05 in 2020
On 29 June 2018, Mateta joined Bundesliga club Mainz 05 on a four-year contract. His arrival was the most expensive signing in club history. Upon signing with the club, the player was compared favorably to former Mainz strikers Aristide Bancé and Adam Szalai as well as former 1. FC Köln and 1899 Hoffenheim player Anthony Modeste.
On 5 April 2019, Mateta scored his first senior hat-trick in a 5–0 league victory over SC Freiburg.
2021–2023: Initial seasons
On 21 January 2021, Mateta signed for English club Crystal Palace on an initial eighteen-month loan deal. Crystal Palace reportedly paid a €3 million loan fee and secured an option to sign Mateta permanently for a further €15 million. He made his debut on 8 February in a 2–0 away league defeat by Leeds United. On 22 February 2021, Mateta scored his first goal for Palace, a backheel flick, in a 2–1 away league win over rivals Brighton & Hove Albion. The deal was made permanent on 31 January 2022.
During the 2022–23 season, Mateta was restricted to just six starts in the league, with Odsonne Édouard preferred as Crystal Palace's starting striker. On 1 April 2023, Mateta came off the bench scored a last-minute winner against Leicester City, ensuring Palace ended their thirteen-match Premier League winless run on Roy Hodgson's return to the club, and ended a personal run of 28 appearances without a goal.
2023–24 season: Crystal Palace Player of the Year
Mateta opened his account for the 2023–24 season on 29 August, scoring his first hat-trick for Crystal Palace against Plymouth Argyle in the second round of the 2023–24 EFL Cup, resulting in a 4–2 victory. After scoring in back-to-back games against Manchester City and Liverpool in December 2023, Mateta was restored to the starting line-up following the appointment of manager Oliver Glasner in February 2024. He scored four times in Glasner's first six matches in charge, taking his tally for the season into double digits, making it his highest-scoring season at Crystal Palace.
In April 2024, he scored back-to-back braces in wins against West Ham United and Newcastle United; he was later nominated for Premier League Player of the Month for the first time in his career. On 6 May, he scored in a 4–0 win over Manchester United, becoming the first Premier League player to score in each of a manager's first six home games for a club since Alan Shearer for Kevin Keegan in 1997, as well as Crystal Palace's first ever player to score in six consecutive top-flight home games, breaking Mark Bright's record of five. The next day, Mateta was named the club's Player of the Year, becoming the first French recipient of the award. On 19 May, Mateta scored his first Premier League hat-trick for the club, and the club's second ever Premier League hat-trick and first in nine years, in a 5–0 victory over Aston Villa, helping secure a top half of the table finish. Additionally, he finished the season as his club's top scorer with 16 goals, achieving a new personal best in the Premier League.
2024–25 season: FA Cup title
Mateta's first goals of the 2024–25 season came in a 4–0 win over Norwich City in the second round of the EFL Cup on 27 August 2024. He assisted Daichi Kamada's opening goal in the second minute, before scoring twice in the second half. On 14 September, he registered his first goals of the Premier League season in a 2–2 draw with Leicester City.
On 27 October, Mateta scored the only goal of a 1–0 win over Tottenham Hotspur, giving Palace their first league win of the season. On 3 December, he repeated this feat by scoring the decisive goal of a 1–0 win at Ipswich Town, Palace's second win of the Premier League season.
After registering only four league goals in the first half of the season, Mateta scored eight goals in the first eight fixtures of 2025. This run started with an 82nd-minute equaliser in a 1–1 draw at home to Chelsea and included braces against West Ham United and Manchester United in consecutive 2–0 away wins. On 25 February, he scored his 36th Premier League goal for Crystal Palace in a 4–1 win over Aston Villa, making him the club's all-time second-top scorer in the competition.
On 1 March 2025, Mateta was hospitalised after being kicked in the side of the head by Millwall goalkeeper Liam Roberts, as he challenged for the ball outside the box in the FA Cup, an incident for which Roberts received a red card. Roberts was later given a six game ban, which had been extended from an initial three game ban. While Mateta was being treated on the pitch for a number of minutes and administered oxygen, some Millwall supporters chanted "let him die". The injury sustained during the game, resulted with him requiring 25 stitches for a laceration behind his ear and a concussion observation. Crystal Palace chairman, Steve Parish, accused Roberts of endangering the life of a "fellow professional" and manager Oliver Glasner claimed the foul "could have been the end of JP's career". Millwall manager Alex Neil insisted Roberts had not intended to hurt Mateta and wished him the best in his recovery. Mateta discussed the injury in an interview later that month with L'Équipe, saying that he had the instinct to turn his head at the last moment, saving himself from a more serious injury, but that his "ear didn't look like an ear anymore"; and that a plastic surgeon had taken pictures of his ear, but refused to show them to him due to the grisly nature of the injury, but that the surgeon managed to save his ear. Mateta said that while he would be able to begin training, he would need to wear a mask to protect his ear and, so as to help prevent infection, wash it every time he sweated. He also said that Roberts had apologised to him by text for causing the injury and that the French striker had told him not to worry and that the injury was "not that serious".
On 17 May 2025, Mateta won the FA Cup as Crystal Palace beat Manchester City 1–0 in the 2025 FA Cup final for Crystal Palace's first major trophy; he linked up with Daichi Kamada and Daniel Muñoz to set up Eberechi Eze's winning goal in the 16th minute of the game.
2025–26 season: Community Shield and European debut
On 10 August 2025, Mateta scored his first goal at Wembley Stadium, an equaliser from the penalty spot against Liverpool in the 2025 FA Community Shield; he later scored his penalty in the resulting shootout as Palace triumphed following a 2–2 draw, winning his second trophy with the club. On 21 August, he netted his club’s historic first goal in European competitions, securing a 1–0 win over Fredrikstad in the UEFA Conference League play-off round. On 18 October, Mateta scored a hat-trick, two goals of which were scored in a five-minute period, in a 3–3 draw with Bournemouth. Mateta was strongly linked with a move to Serie A club AC Milan in the January transfer window of 2026, however the move collapsed after issues with his medical caused by a reported knee injury.
International career
Jean-Philippe Mateta
On 3 June 2024, Mateta was named in manager Thierry Henry's provisional France squad ahead of the Olympic Games in Paris. Selected in the final squad as one of the three overage players, he scored the only goal in the quarter-final game against Argentina to send France to the next stage. During the semi-final against Egypt, he scored two goals as France won 3–1. He scored a 93rd-minute equaliser in the final against Spain to take the match to extra-time, though Spain won 5–3.
On 2 October 2025, Mateta received his first call-up to the senior team for 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification matches. On 10 October, he made his international debut in a 3–0 victory over Azerbaijan. Three days later, he scored his first goal in a 2–2 away draw against Iceland.
Career statistics
Club
<table><thead><tr><th>Club</th><th>Season</th><th>League</th><th>National cup</th><th>League cup</th><th>Europe</th><th>Other</th><th>Total</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Division</td><td>Apps</td><td>Goals</td><td>Apps</td><td>Goals</td><td>Apps</td><td>Goals</td><td>Apps</td><td>Goals</td><td>Apps</td><td>Goals</td><td>Apps</td><td>Goals</td></tr><tr><td>Châteauroux II</td><td>2014–15</td><td>Championnat de France Amateur 2</td><td>6</td><td>0</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>6</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>2015–16</td><td>Championnat de France Amateur 2</td><td>7</td><td>7</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>7</td><td>7</td></tr><tr><td>Total</td><td>13</td><td>7</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>13</td><td>7</td></tr><tr><td>Châteauroux</td><td>2015–16</td><td>Championnat National</td><td>22</td><td>11</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>22</td><td>11</td></tr><tr><td>2016–17</td><td>Championnat National</td><td>4</td><td>2</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>4</td><td>2</td></tr><tr><td>Total</td><td>26</td><td>13</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>26</td><td>13</td></tr><tr><td>Lyon II</td><td>2016–17</td><td>Championnat de France Amateur</td><td>16</td><td>6</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>16</td><td>6</td></tr><tr><td>Lyon</td><td>2016–17</td><td>Ligue 1</td><td>2</td><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>—</td><td>3</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>Le Havre (loan)</td><td>2017–18</td><td>Ligue 2</td><td>37</td><td>19</td><td>1</td><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>38</td><td>20</td></tr><tr><td>Mainz 05</td><td>2018–19</td><td>Bundesliga</td><td>34</td><td>14</td><td>2</td><td>0</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>36</td><td>14</td></tr><tr><td>2019–20</td><td>Bundesliga</td><td>18</td><td>3</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>18</td><td>3</td></tr><tr><td>2020–21</td><td>Bundesliga</td><td>15</td><td>7</td><td>2</td><td>3</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>17</td><td>10</td></tr><tr><td>Total</td><td>67</td><td>24</td><td>4</td><td>3</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>71</td><td>27</td></tr><tr><td>Crystal Palace</td><td>2020–21</td><td>Premier League</td><td>7</td><td>1</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>7</td><td>1</td></tr><tr><td>2021–22</td><td>Premier League</td><td>7</td><td>1</td><td>1</td><td>1</td><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>9</td><td>2</td></tr><tr><td>Total</td><td>14</td><td>2</td><td>1</td><td>1</td><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>16</td><td>3</td></tr><tr><td>Crystal Palace</td><td>2021–22</td><td>Premier League</td><td>22</td><td>5</td><td>5</td><td>2</td><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>28</td><td>7</td></tr><tr><td>2022–23</td><td>Premier League</td><td>29</td><td>2</td><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>2</td><td>0</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>32</td><td>2</td></tr><tr><td>2023–24</td><td>Premier League</td><td>35</td><td>16</td><td>2</td><td>0</td><td>2</td><td>3</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>39</td><td>19</td></tr><tr><td>2024–25</td><td>Premier League</td><td>37</td><td>14</td><td>5</td><td>0</td><td>4</td><td>3</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>46</td><td>17</td></tr><tr><td>2025–26</td><td>Premier League</td><td>24</td><td>8</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>3</td><td>0</td><td>9</td><td>1</td><td>1</td><td>1</td><td>37</td><td>10</td></tr><tr><td>Total</td><td>140</td><td>44</td><td>13</td><td>2</td><td>12</td><td>6</td><td>9</td><td>1</td><td>1</td><td>1</td><td>189</td><td>56</td></tr><tr><td>Career total</td><td>315</td><td>115</td><td>20</td><td>7</td><td>13</td><td>6</td><td>9</td><td>1</td><td>1</td><td>1</td><td>358</td><td>130</td></tr></tbody></table>
International
<table><thead><tr><th>National team</th><th>Year</th><th>Apps</th><th>Goals</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>France</td><td>2025</td><td>3</td><td>2</td></tr><tr><td>Total</td><td>3</td><td>2</td></tr></tbody></table>
As of match played 16 November 2025 Scores and results list France's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Mateta goal
<table><thead><tr><th>No.</th><th>Date</th><th>Venue</th><th>Cap</th><th>Opponent</th><th>Score</th><th>Result</th><th>Competition</th><th>Ref.</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1</td><td>13 October 2025</td><td>Laugardalsvöllur, Reykjavík, Iceland</td><td>2</td><td> Iceland</td><td>2–1</td><td>2–2</td><td>2026 FIFA World Cup qualification</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>16 November 2025</td><td>Tofiq Bahramov Republican Stadium, Baku, Azerbaijan</td><td>3</td><td> Azerbaijan</td><td>1–1</td><td>3–1</td><td>2026 FIFA World Cup qualification</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>
Honours
Jean-Philippe Mateta
• FA Cup: 2024–25 • FA Community Shield: (/wiki/2025FACommunityShield)
• Summer Olympics silver medal: (/wiki/Footballatthe2024SummerOlympics–Men'stournament)
• Crystal Palace Player of the Season: 2023–24
• Knight of the National Order of Merit: 2024