Jean-Philippe Mateta said that during his early days at Crystal Palace, he talked about his dream of playing for the French national team in the locker room, but his teammates, including Wilfried Zaha, laughed at him and said it was foolish since he wasn't even playing regularly for Palace. Mateta insisted it was his goal and believed he just needed playing time to prove himself. Wilfried Zaha strongly rejected Mateta's claim, calling the comments "disgusting." Zaha stated he never belittled anyone or said someone wouldn't succeed and explained that the laughter was part of friendly banter among several teammates, not targeted at Mateta personally. He was frustrated that Mateta singled him out and used the situation as a stepping stone for his own narrative. Zaha emphasized that he never hates on anyone and only shows passion on the pitch, denying any intention of bullying or discouraging Mateta. He expressed disappointment and said this is why he tends to keep his distance from friendships in football.
In summary, Mateta claimed Zaha and others laughed at his ambition to play for France when he was struggling for game time, but Zaha denies mocking him and pushes back against the accusation, describing the situation as misunderstood banter rather than criticism or bullying. This disagreement has led to a public fallout between the former Crystal Palace teammates.
