DR Congo rooted forward Jean-Philippe Mateta earns debut France call up
Crystal Palace attacker Jean-Philippe Mateta has been handed his first call up to play for the France national team in the upcoming 2026 World Cup qualification games.
The Les Blues are gearing up for the crucial games against Azerbaijan and Iceland respectively. The European giants will host Azerbaijan on Friday, October 10 before traveling to face Iceland three days later.
Ahead of the games, coach Didier Dechamps has unveiled his squad including the Crystal Palace forward, who has been outstanding in recent times.
France are without several key players due to injury setbacks. The Les Blues will have to battle for points without Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembélé, Désiré Doué, Rayan Cherki, Randal Kolo Muani and Marcus Thuram.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid superstar, Kylian Mbappe is expected to lead the France national team as they aim to maintain their perfect start to the qualifiers.
The 28-year-old Franco-Congolese forward has made six appearances in the Premier League for Crystal Palace, scoring two goals across the period.
Despite DR Congo eligibility, the talented attacker has opted to represent France at the international level.
