Gifted in March, Cherki and Kalulu in June, Akliouche and Ekitike (following the Cherki package) in September, and therefore Mateta in October. We had known a very conservative Didier Deschamps, we now know a more unpredictable Didier Deschamps. For his penultimate year at the head of the Blues, the tricolor coach has chosen the novelty. It is not a cultural revolution, but on a DD scale, it still reflects a certain evolution.
This “reoxygenation”, as he often named, has given birth to good surprises, like Manu Koné, stunning on his last outings in the France team. Jean-Philippe Mateta will be keen to be one as well. Having become an attacker referenced in the Premier League for two seasons now, the 28 -year -old has just known his first invitation to the French A team. For him, passed through the U19, the U20, the Hopes and even the Olympic selection, it is the continuation of things.
At eight months from the World Cup, it's good timing to show
“The Blues are too important for me. The French team is my number 1 goal, my kid's dream. I will watch the list “he confided in May 2024 just before the euro. A missed meeting, but ultimately reprogrammed. At eight months from the World Cup, the timing is good to show itself and prove that it is not just a bis or ter alternative, behind Marcus Thuram and Randal Kolo Muani. “This is his profile, it is the first time he has been called, even if he is not very young. He has an ability to score goals. It is an interesting profile, and it's been a while since it is in pre-listeners ”confided Didier Deschamps.
A priori, it should not upset the balance of the locker room, so dear to Deschamps. Oswald Tanchot, his former coach in Le Havre, described him as the guardian of good atmosphere in a group: “He is a humble person, with a big joie de vivre and simple (…) he brings together, he is also a very solar, with a lot of positive energy. He is equal with everyone, he does not take the lead. He knows how to do the share of things between fun and work, he can even laugh while working. »» For Mateta, this invitation also sounds like the moment to take care of his return to France. He had left her anonymous in 2018 after only 2 small L1 games played with OL. Things have been going on since.
