Biography
Who is Jean-Philippe Mateta?
Early life and career beginnings
Born in Sevran, France, on June 28, 1997, he grew up in the northeastern suburbs of Paris. His father, originally from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, worked as a professional footballer in Belgium and Congo. Jean-Philippe Mateta started his own path in the sport with the club Châteauroux.
In 2016, he signed with the French club Olympique Lyonnais on a five-year contract. During his time there, he gained experience through a loan spell at the Ligue 2 side Le Havre, where he scored 19 goals across 37 matches during the 2017–18 season.
International and European success
He has represented France at multiple levels, including the under-19 and under-21 youth squads. He also played for the French Olympic team during the 2024 Paris games, where he earned a silver medal and finished as the third-highest scorer.
He made his senior international debut in 2025 and participated in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where the team finished in fourth place. In 2026, he achieved success at the club level by winning the UEFA Conference League with Crystal Palace, scoring the winning goal in the final match.
Time with Crystal Palace
Jean-Philippe Mateta signed with Crystal Palace in January 2021, initially on an eighteen-month loan before making the deal permanent in 2022. During the 2023–24 season, he became the club's top scorer with 16 league goals and was named the Crystal Palace Player of the Year. This made him the first French player to receive the honor.
He achieved significant milestones, such as becoming the first player to score in six consecutive top-flight home games for the club. In 2025, he helped the team secure the FA Cup by assisting Eberechi Eze in the winning goal against Manchester City. He also played a key role in the 2025 FA Community Shield victory against Liverpool.
Injury and recovery
In March 2025, Jean-Philippe Mateta suffered a serious injury during an FA Cup match against Millwall after a challenge from goalkeeper Liam Roberts. The incident resulted in a laceration behind his ear that required 25 stitches and concussion observation.
Although some supporters chanted during the incident, he later discussed his recovery, noting that he needed to wear a protective mask during training to prevent infection. He confirmed that Roberts apologized to him by text message, and he chose to view the injury as not overly serious in his conversations with the media.
Birthday and age
Jean-Philippe Mateta was born on June 28, 1997, which makes Jean-Philippe 29 years old today. That birthday falls under the Cancer sign. Jean-Philippe shares the date with 74 other famous people.
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