Jean-Philippe Mateta added another World Cup knockout appearance to his CV as France beat Sweden 3-0 and moved into a last-16 tie against Paraguay.
The Crystal Palace striker replaced Kylian Mbappe in the 85th minute in New Jersey, with France already in control after another ruthless knockout performance.
Crystal Palace’s official World Cup tracker confirmed Mateta’s late appearance, while Maxence Lacroix remained unused on the bench. The result takes Didier Deschamps’ side into a meeting with Paraguay on 4 July.
Al Jazeera reported that Mbappe scored twice and Bradley Barcola also struck, with former Palace winger Michael Olise impressing again in France’s 3-0 win over Sweden.
Paraguay Tie Gives Mateta A Fresh Palace Angle
For Palace, the detail is not only France’s progression. It is Mateta continuing to collect tournament minutes while Pierre Sage prepares for his first pre-season in south London.
Tuesday’s pre-match focus centred on whether Mateta or Lacroix could force any selection movement against Sweden. The answer was measured rather than dramatic.
Lacroix stayed on the bench, but Mateta still gained another cameo behind the world’s most explosive forward line. That matters because France now have another knockout assignment, and every extra minute gives Palace a useful read before the squad regroups.
Read Crystal Palace had already looked at why France’s Sweden tie mattered for Lacroix and Mateta. The Paraguay game now extends that storyline.
Sage will not want key players overworked deep into July. But Mateta returning with more France minutes, more confidence and a sharper tournament edge would still help Palace.
The club have Europa League football, domestic cups and a demanding Premier League start to manage. Mateta’s summer role with France may still be limited, but it keeps him active in elite company.
For Palace, that is no small detail. A striker trusted in France’s knockout rotation remains a valuable asset before Sage starts building his own attacking structure.
