‘It’s disgusting’ – Wilfried Zaha slams Crystal Palace star over ‘nasty’ comments

An irate Wilfried Zaha has hit back after Jean-Philippe Mateta accused him of ‘laughing’ about his dreams of playing for France when they were team-mates at Crystal Palace.

Didier Deschamps handed Mateta his senior France debut in the side’s World Cup qualifying win over Azerbaijan last Friday, rewarding the striker for a magnificent run of form at club level.

The prospect of Mateta being called up by Les Bleus may have seemed unrealistic to most Palace fans even a year ago, but the 28-year-old – who lifted the FA Cup last season – has made himself impossible to ignore.

Mateta went on to make his full debut against Iceland three days later and the big centre-forward did his World Cup hopes no harm whatsoever with his performance in Reykjavik, scoring the visitors’ second from close range in a 2-2 draw.

But before he had even played a single minute for his country, Mateta hit the headlines with some comments he made when reflecting on just how far he had come to be able to achieve a lifelong dream.

‘I always believed [in playing for the French national team],’ Mateta told French newspaper L’Equipe ahead of the 3-0 defeat of Azerbaijan.

‘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.’

WARNING: STRONG LANGUAGE

Zaha, who now turns out for MLS outfit Charlotte FC, was among the countless fans and fellow players to congratulate Mateta on the forward’s France call-up earlier this month.

But on Wednesday, the former Palace winger took to social media to launch a ferocious rant at Mateta, blasting the Frenchman’s ‘disgusting’ and ‘nasty’ claims that he had once mocked his international ambitions.

‘I’m sorry, yeah, because my head’s on fire. I’ve got to clear up this Mateta situation because he doesn’t want to. I spoke to him and he doesn’t want to, he’s okay with it,’ Zaha told his followers.

‘This just shows me that these times when I was playing at Crystal Palace and all these people that were watching me, it’s clear that they weren’t happy for me because I never made anyone feel like s***.

‘Everyone knows me. 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 all. Nothing like that.

‘It’s disgusting when I see that someone who I thought was a friend do that.’

A ‘shocked’ Zaha insisted he would never have talked down Mateta’s dreams to play for France and the conversation that he had with the striker was simply ‘football banter’ between ‘mates’.

‘There was ten players that he had this conversation with,’ he continued.

‘As friends, we laughed it off but we were joking around that it was going to be difficult [for Mateta], 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? Especially with football banter and you’re mates, wouldn’t you be shocked if this person asked this to ten people… I swear to you, ten Crystal Palace players were there when this conversation was had… wouldn’t you be shocked that this person has made out that there was some sort of hate from me?

‘Why would he say my name when there was ten people? Was it because Zaha is the biggest name? I do not understand, it’s disgusting. I’ve never hated on anyone.’

The ex-Ivory Coast international went on: ‘I’m now getting messages, “Oh, you’re not laughing now at Mateta!, but 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?

‘It’s nasty, man, it is nasty! This is why I don’t have football friends and keep myself to myself because how is he gonna do that?’

Mateta is yet to publicly respond to Zaha’s rant and it remains to be seen if the feud will rumble on between the two former team-mates.

The Palace attacker vowed to ‘come back even stronger’ after France – who sit top of Group D – were held to a ‘disappointing’ draw by Iceland.

‘We are a little disappointed because we wanted to win. We fought until the end,’ Mateta told TF1 shortly after the final whistle.

‘Are there any regrets? Overall, we could have played better, but I would prefer one point to a defeat.

‘There are positive moments and we will continue to work to come back even stronger.’

‘My first goal for the national team? It’s a very important moment for a striker. I hope to score many more goals.’

Mateta must quickly switch his attentions back to matters at Palace after a whirlwind few days in French camp, with Oliver Glasner’s men looking to bounce back from a 2-1 defeat at Everton before the international break.

The Eagles return to action at home to high-flying Bournemouth this weekend.

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