Happy birthday, JP!: 14 of our favourite Mateta moments

Club

28 Jun 2024

Selhurst Park is well accustomed to the sights – an audacious run, flick, or effort on goal, many of which hit the back of the net – and sounds – more simply, 'BOOOM' – of Jean-Philippe Mateta by now, with the forward celebrating his 27th birthday today (28th June)!

Mateta enjoyed his best season in a Crystal Palace shirt to date in 2023/24, scoring 19 goals in all competitions – including nine in his last six games – recording five assists, and taking his all-round game to another level.

The striker also celebrated his 100th Crystal Palace appearance in style at Anfield in April with a 1-0 win over Liverpool, and concluded the season by being voted 23/24 Men's Player of the Season by supporters, and joint-Men's Players' Player of the Season alongside Joachim Andersen.

As our No. 14 celebrates a big birthday, let's recap 14 of our favourite Mateta moments...

1. The first impressions

"If I score, of course I will…” Mateta promised corner-flags everywhere in his first Palace TV interview.

2. The first goal at Brighton

A backheel. Against Brighton away. To set Crystal Palace on the way to victory. A first flying kick of the corner flag.

First goals for your new club don’t really come much better than this, do they?

3. The permanent signing

After just 12 months in south London, the deal was done with Mainz 05 – and Mateta was a permanent Palace player.

4. The confessions

5. The winner at Millwall

This match-winner against Millwall at the Den put Palace into the FA Cup fourth round, and sent away limbs flying.

6. The Lord of the Rings - or Instagram?

When JP revealed his taste for Tolkien...

7. The haircut reveal

Wilfried Zaha’s behind-the-scenes reaction said it all!

8. The Leicester winner

What a goal it was – a brilliant piece of skill in the 94th minute in April 2022, capping an incredible day in SE25. That noise…

9. ... and the Leicester celebration

The 'boom' as the match-winner wheeled away and unleashed a club’s collective ecstasy on the corner flag... The BOOOOOM!

An all-timer of a moment at Selhurst Park – and arguably Mateta's most memorable in a Palace shirt.

Watch from 10:25 in the video below.

10. The stylish Stateside hot-dog

Only JP could look this effortlessly cool tucking into a Leo's Coney Island hot dogs, as the forward taste-tested one during Palace's pre-season trip to Detroit last year.

Mateta and the keepers try Detroit hot dogs

11. His heroic hat-tricks

On his first start of the 2023/24 season, Mateta started as he meant to go on, scoring – in a memorable comeback win at Plymouth – Palace's first hat-trick since that of Dwight Gayle against Charlton in September 2015 (or, from open play only, Yannick Bolasie’s treble against Sunderland in April 2015).

He followed it up with a final-day hat-trick against Aston Villa in a 5-0 win at Selhurst Park, recording Palace's first-ever home Premier league hat-trick (and first in the top-flight since Mike Flanagan's in October 1980).

Mateta is now on seven consecutive top-flight home matches with a goal to his name – another Palace record.

12. The lovely Luton flick

The pick of Mateta's goals last season was arguably this wonderful piece of improvisation against Luton.

Mateta in a microcosm, this finish: classy and clinical.

Match Action: Crystal Palace 1-1 Luton Town

13. Award winner

March Goal of the Month? cinch Player of the Month? Which was it to be?

Mateta and Ebere Eze were both in contention for both trophies – and with one player winning each, they took a guess on who would be taking home which trophy...

It was a feat he duly followed up with the April cinch Player of the Month award, plus the already-mentioned two Men's Player of the Year awards.

2023/24 for Mateta? Magnifique.

Player of The Month | Jean-Philipe Mateta

14. Olympic call-up

JP is currently following up his blistering Premier League campaign on international duty with France, as they prepare for the Paris Olympic Games.

France legend Thierry Henry has selected both players in his provisional squad for the tournament, with the final 22-man party decided on 3rd July.

Mateta qualifies as an overage player for the competition, having previously won 11 caps at Under-21s level, scoring three times. The striker last represented his country in June 2019.

Henry – who himself scored 175 goals in 258 Premier League appearances – said of Mateta: “He’s an old-fashioned striker – you can play a little more direct. He can keep the ball.

“He’s a boring striker to play against! He doesn’t lose the ball much, and he goes at the last defender. He uses his physicality, he’s good with his head, and he scores.

“It’s important that a striker like that gives you another dimension. He was also voted Player of the Year at Crystal Palace. It seems to me that he’s not too bad!”

The football tournament at the 2024 Summer Olympics will be held between Wednesday 24th July and Saturday 10th August in seven host venues across France, including main host city Paris; Bordeaux; Marseille and Nice.

Bonne chance, JP!

Related News

More News