Crystal Palace’s Mateta Earns First France Call-Up
Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta has been called up to the French national team for the first time. The 28-year-old was included in coach Didier Deschamps' squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Azerbaijan and Iceland. Mateta's selection is a reward for his outstanding form. He has scored four goals in ten games this season for a Crystal Palace side that is currently third in the Premier League. Since the start of the last campaign, he has netted 32 times in the league. Deschamps explained the call-up, saying, "I like his profile. He has the ability to score goals." Mateta gets his chance due to injuries to several established forwards, including Ousmane Dembélé and Marcus Thuram. France leads its World Cup qualifying group and can secure early qualification with two wins in the upcoming matches.