Jean-Philippe Mateta: Crystal Palace striker given slim chance of France World Cup call-up - “I can’t see it right now”

Crystal Palace head coach Oliver Glasner cannot envisage striker Jean-Philippe Mateta earning a call-up to the France squad for the 2026 World Cup.

After missing eight games in all competitions with an ongoing knee injury, the 28-year-old made a 15-minute substitute appearance in the Eagles’ 0-0 first-leg draw with AEK Larnaca in the Conference League last 16 on Thursday.

Mateta received a mixed reception from the Selhurst Park faithful after he attempted to force through a move to AC Milan on the final day of the January transfer window.

A proposed £35m switch collapsed after medical tests revealed a knee problem and club doctors from Milan believed that he needed to have an operation.

However, there was difference of opinion from a number of other specialists and the decision was made for Mateta to not go under the knife following a fresh examination at the beginning of February.

Mateta is now back in Crystal Palace training and Glasner is pleased to have the striker available for selection as they prepare to face Leeds United in the Premier League on Sunday.

‘I wish for Mateta to earn France call-up, but I can't see it right now’

However, Glasner has doubts over whether Mateta will make enough of an impact in Palace’s remaining fixtures to force his way into Didier Deschamps’s France squad for this summer’s World Cup held in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Providing a fresh update on Mateta at a press conference on Friday, Glasner said: “We have just one league game and one Conference League game [this month]. It was the plan now to get him back, and also have him available and give him a few minutes to get him back in. Then, we have three weeks.

“Of course, I wish for him to be called up by France, but I can't see it right now because he was injured for a long time.

“Then, we’ll use the three weeks to get him into a better shape and into a better rhythm. Hopefully, we are then qualified for the (Conference League) quarter-finals, but again, respect for Larnaca. It will be a tricky game as well there.

“And then having JP in a better shape than he is now and helping us maybe for 30 minutes or 45 or even for 60 minutes.”

Glasner added: “I think after the international break, Eddie Nketiah will be back for us and also on Sunday, Christantus Uche is available.

“I was really pleased with [Uche’s] 15 or 20 minutes against Tottenham Hotspur – Uche fought and really made it difficult for them, and we need this now. We have more players available and that should help us.”

Mateta and Strand Larsen can play together, says Glasner

Another striker at Glasner’s disposal is club-record signing Jorgen Strand Larsen, who was signed from Wolves initially as a replacement for Mateta when he looked set to join Milan before the deal collapsed.

Strand Larsen has scored three goals in eight games for the Eagles and is expected to lead the line against Leeds, with Mateta providing cover as a substitute.

Asked whether Mateta and Strand Larsen could play together, Glasner said: “Yes, we were talking about it on the bench with my assistants and discussing it. We have trained them together. I think in the first leg, it's not to go all in.

“But having this opportunity, having two tall strikers, their biggest strength is in the box. It's good to have this option.”

Mateta is running out of time to earn France World Cup call-up

Mateta, who has scored eight Premier League goals in 23 games for Palace so far this season, was handed his first senior international call-up for France in October last year before making his debut in a World Cup qualification win over Azerbaijan.

Three days later, Mateta scored his first international goal for Les Bleus in a 2-2 draw with Iceland, before scoring in the reverse fixture against Azerbaijan in November – his third and most recent appearance under Deschamps.

Mateta will need to prove his fitness and produce a strong run of form in the remaining weeks of this season with Palace if he is to put himself back into the conversation for a France call-up.

The Eagles striker already has the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele and Hugo Ekitike ahead of him in the pecking order, while Marcus Thuram and Randal Kolo Muani will be among those also battling for a centre-forward spot in Deschamps’s squad.

France will play two friendly fixtures against South American sides Brazil and Colombia in the United States during the international break at the end of this month.