Jean-Philippe Mateta is a professional football player who plays as a striker for Crystal Palace.
Mateta has grown into his role as a starting centre-forward at Selhurst Park since joining from Bundesliga outfit Mainz 05 in 2021.
The forward has impressed for Crystal Palace, coming into the first-team squad and hitting some form under Eagles manager Oliver Glasner.
With his prime still ahead of him, Mateta could reach new heights with Palace for years to come.
So with that said, here’s a look at everything you need to know about Crystal Palace star Jean-Philippe Mateta.
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Jean-Philippe Mateta age
Mateta was born on June 28th, 1997, which makes him 26 years old at the time of writing.
Jean-Philippe Mateta’s height
Jean-Philippe Mateta’s height is approximately six feet and four inches tall (193cm), which makes him very tall for a striker.
That towering stature gives the forward a presence up front, adding a physical ability to his skillset that allows him to win headers and hold the ball up.
Where is Mateta from?
Crystal Palace star Jean-Philippe Mateta was born in Sevran, which is a suburb in the north-east of the French capital Paris.
The 26-year-old came through the ranks at LB Châteauroux before he was picked up by Ligue 1 giants Lyon.
A spell with Le Havre and then Mainz 05 eventually led Mateta to Palace, where he has started to show his very best form.
Mateta’s Crystal Palace squad number
Jean-Philippe Mateta currently owns the number 14 squad number at Crystal Palace, which he has held since joining in 2021.
The striker joins a host of former players and club legends to have worn that shirt, with the likes of Jordan Ayew, Gareth Southgate and Ben Watson occupying it in the past.
Mateta has also worn the number nine, 11, 17, 19 and 33 elsewhere in his playing career so far.
Who are the parents of Jean-Philippe Mateta?
Little is known about the parents of Jean-Philippe Mateta, however, he is one of seven children in his family.
The father of the Crystal Palace striker was also a footballer, leaving his family at 22 years old to play in Belgium before representing Congo on the international stage.
Unfortunately, injuries hampered Mateta senior, leading to his early retirement and goals of a playing career that his son will now look to fulfil.
Mateta’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic inspiration
Most players have an inspiration growing up, shaping their playing style around those that they look up to, and for Jean-Philippe Mateta that is Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
In an interview with the official club website, he previously claimed: “As a striker, I mostly started watching other strikers play at first.
“Particularly because I’m tall, I used to watch and learn a lot from Zlatan Ibrahimović.”
The striker has also claimed his corner flag celebration could have a hint of Swedish influence behind it, telling The Athletic: “He was tall, he could run, hold the ball, and had great technique.
“He scored incredible goals. I saw him kick a corner flag, so maybe it’s because of him?”
Jean-Philippe Mateta transfer history
Starting at Châteauroux, Jean-Philippe Mateta joined Lyon in 2016 but only made two appearances for the club before a loan switch to Le Havre – where he featured 35 times in 2017/18.
That prompted a move from Bundesliga side Mainz 05 for £7.2million, where he made 67 appearances for the club.
Being a promising, young and tall striker naturally resulted in interest from the Premier League, but it was Crystal Palace that made the swoop.
An initial loan deal was agreed for Mateta, which was then made permanent in 2022 for over £9million, which could be a bargain as he approaches his 100th appearance for the Eagles.
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