Why Jean-Philippe Mateta edged Randal Kolo Muani out of France’s World Cup squad | OneFootball

According to L'Équipe, Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta has claimed one of Didier Deschamps’ final places for the 26-man World Cup 2026 squad, edging out Randal Kolo Muani after sharply contrasting seasons.

First called up in October, Mateta scored on his first start in Iceland in a 2-2 draw, then netted again a month later in Azerbaijan, a 3-1 win that gave him two goals in three caps. Kolo Muani featured only in March, when Mateta was injured, playing 27 minutes in the United States against Colombia, a 3-1 victory that was already 3-0 when he entered.

At club level the trajectories have diverged. Mateta is a Europa Conference League finalist with Palace and faces Rayo Vallecano on 27 May, alongside fellow Frenchman Maxence Lacroix, also called up. His tally stands at 14 goals and three assists in 47 matches in all competitions, while Kolo Muani has one league goal in 28 for Tottenham, who are fighting to stay up.

Deschamps views Mateta as a different profile who offers options, an efficient penalty-box striker with a strong aerial game, a true centre forward. Thierry Henry had already identified this, selecting him as one of three over-age picks for the 2024 Olympics, where the striker, known for wearing his shorts very high, impressed with personality, dynamism and goals.

Kolo Muani, inches from immortality in the 2022 final before Emiliano Martinez’s save, has 32 caps and nine goals. He thought a call was possible after positive signals in March, especially following Hugo Ekitike’s serious injury at Liverpool, but his camp accept his season has been difficult, even if his France experience might have counted.

In a squad containing nine forwards, Mateta may have limited minutes, yet his profile could still matter. He is probably the only specialist of his type, with Marcus Thuram perhaps close, although the Inter forward plays in a duo with Lautaro Martinez and has often been used wide for France.

Source: L'Équipe