Jean-Philippe Mateta and Maxence Lacroix have both been named in France's World Cup squad, and the route into the group was very different for each of them. Mateta is back from a knee setback that came after a failed AC Milan medical in December. Lacroix has gone from a new arrival at Crystal Palace to vice-captain and now to a place in Didier Deschamps' squad.
Why Mateta's call-up stands out
Mateta missed two months of action after the knee injury was identified during that failed AC Milan medical, so this is not a simple reward for a tidy club season. It is a comeback story first. He has still put up 44 appearances across all competitions for Palace and scored 14 goals, including 11 in the Premier League and 2 in the UEFA Europa Conference League.
His recent form has also been solid enough to justify the selection. Mateta has averaged a 6.8 rating across his last five matches, with a 7.3 and a goal against Everton among the signs that he has been pushing into the conversation at the right time.
Lacroix's rise has been steadier
Lacroix's case is less dramatic, but no less convincing. He made his France debut off the bench in a 2-1 win over Brazil in Massachusetts, even with France reduced to 10 men, and he has since been trusted enough at Palace to be promoted to vice-captain after Marc Guehi's transfer to Manchester City in January.
The numbers back up the sense that he has been a dependable pick. Lacroix has played 53 times across all competitions and carries a 6.98 season rating. That is the profile of a defender who has delivered the sort of consistency national coaches tend to value more than headlines.
France begin their World Cup campaign against Senegal on June 16, then face Iraq and Norway. Palace have gone from a club with one France regular in the conversation to one sending two players to the tournament, which is a decent marker of where those two seasons have taken them.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →
