Wilfried Zaha Rips Into 'Disgusting' Jean-Philippe Mateta Interview In Passionate Video

A furious Wilfried Zaha has hit back at Jean-Philippe Mateta after the Crystal Palace striker claimed that his former teammate "laughed" about his dream of playing for the France national team.

Earlier this month, Mateta took part in a lengthy interview with French outlet L’Equipe, where he spoke about a number of subjects, including his recent international call-up.

The 28-year-old striker, who joined Crystal Palace from German side Mainz, was named the club's Player of the Year for 2023-24 after notching 16 goals and six assists in the Premier League.

He continued to impress under Oliver Glasner, scoring 14 league goals across the 2024-25 campaign, and was handed his first senior international call-up by Didier Deschamps at the start of October.

Mateta's rise has been impressive, to say the least. Not many would have expected the forward to go on and play for his country when Palace forked out £9 million for his services in January 2022.

In fact, when speaking to L’Equipe after receiving his call-up, Mateta claimed that former teammate Wilfried Zaha laughed at his dream of playing for France during his early days at Selhurst Park.

"I always believed [in playing for the France national team]," he said.

"At Crystal Palace, right at the start, when I wasn’t even playing, I spoke about the France team in the dressing room and I had team-mates like Wilfried Zaha who were laughing.

"They said that I was mad to think about the France team when I wasn’t even playing at Crystal Palace, but I responded saying that it was my objective and that I simply had to play to show what I could do.

"My dream has always been to play for the France team. I knew that I would get my chance."

A short time later, Zaha took to social media to bring further context to the quotes. "It was never a thing where I laughed at him," he said. "It was a thing where we were laughing, saying that there are so many players... it is going to be a difficult task."

Wilfried Zaha tears into Jean-Philippe Mateta in two-minute video

A week after Mateta's interview was published and Zaha has now made his feelings abundantly clear after speaking to his former teammate.

"No, I'm sorry, My head's on fire," he began in the video that is believed to have been posted on Snapchat. "I've got to clear up this Mateta situation because he doesn't want to. I spoke to him, he doesn't want to, he's okay with it.

"And this just shows me that, see the times when I was playing at Crystal Palace and people, all these people were watching me, it's clear that they weren't happy for me because I never made anyone feel like s***. I never — like everyone knows me like that.

"The only time on the pitch is when I'm passionate and all that stuff, but I'd never bully someone or say someone won't make it here or won't make it at all or nothing like that.

"So it's disgusting when I see someone that I thought was a friend do that. Like the conversation that was had was, his chances of playing for France way back when he wasn't playing for Palace and there were 10 players that he had this conversation with.

"And as friends, we laughed it off, but we were joking around that it was going to be difficult, especially with Benzema and all these different players playing in those positions, but we never, ever once said you're never going to make it.

"So wouldn't you be shocked — and especially with football banter when you're mates — wouldn't you be shocked if this person asked this to 10 people?"

He continued: "I swear to you, 10 Crystal Palace players were there when this conversation was had. Wouldn't you be shocked that this person has made out like there’s some sort of hate for me? Why would he say my name when there were 10 people? Or is it because Zaha... Zaha is the biggest name? I do not understand.

"It's disgusting. I've never hated on anyone. So now I'm getting messages — 'Oh, you're not laughing now at Mateta.”' I couldn't care less. Well done to him. I even congratulated him publicly on his Instagram, on his posts.

"So to hear that story come out, it's like, what the f***? Did you dislike me the whole time for you to come out with this — your come-up story? 'I'm going to use Zaha as my come-up story.' Like, it's nasty, man. It is nasty."

"This is why I don't have football friends," Zaha added. "This is why I keep myself to myself, because how's he going to do that?"

On Monday, Mateta marked his first senior start for France with a goal against Iceland.