- Crystal Palace striker Mateta dreams of World Cup
- Hugo Ekitike injury rules Liverpool star out for France
- Didier Deschamps has replacement in mind
Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta may well have thought he’d been handed a World Cup chance after Hugo Ekitike suffered an unfortunate injury. The Liverpool frontman has been ruled out for the rest of the season.
Ekitike ruptured his Achilles tendon in his side’s 2-0 (4-0 aggregate) loss to Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League last night. It means he’ll be out of the World Cup with France and Didier Deschamps will need to look at another attacking option.
Mateta has recently returned to form after a lengthy spell on the sidelines. Over the last two games, he’s bagged three goals, including a brace in a 2-1 win over Newcastle United.
France Still Likely to Snub Mateta
Unfortunately and quite ridiculously, Mateta isn’t the one Deschamps is set to turn to for the World Cup and to take Ekitike’s spot. A report from Le Parisien claim it will be another Premier League forward who gets the nod.
The favourite to take the Liverpool star’s place is Tottenham Hotspur’s Randal Kolo Muani. The player is on loan at relegation-battling Spurs from Paris Saint-Germain.
Kolo Muani has been somewhat of a letdown in North London, managing just one goal and one assist in 24 league appearances. He does have experience representing France, having been a regular during the 2022 World Cup and Euro 2024.
That said, the Lilywhites’ frontman hasn’t been anywhere near as good as Mateta. The Palace man is said to be under consideration alongside AC Milan’s Christopher Nkunku, but Kolo Muani is the favourite.
This further highlights the big-club bias among international managers, who tend not to explore beyond high-profile names. The fact that Deschamps is ready to turn to a striker struggling in a side that is dangerously close to suffering the drop is simply bizarre.
Mateta’s Mission
Mateta has dealt with his injury issues this season, which ultimately cost him a move to AC Milan in January. But he remains the man for the big occasion, and it’s so harsh for him not to be favoured over Kolo Muani.
Oliver Glasner explained just how desperate Mateta was to go to the World Cup when speaking back in February. He said (via BBC Sport):
“There are two ways we can do this: manage the knee like we have until after the World Cup, which is Mateta’s dream to play in. The other one is he undergoes surgery.”
Surgery wasn’t required. After a slow start getting back to his best, the 28-year-old is staking his claim for the Eagles’ number nine starting berth for the rest of the season.
Mateta has earned three caps for France, scoring two goals, including a vital strike in a 2-2 draw against Iceland. But he looks to have a massive job on his hands to try to convince Deschamps that he should be the one to replace Ekitike.
