Jean-Philippe Mateta on horror injury, goalscoring and 'boom' celebration

Liam Williams Updated: 16 May 25 12:25

After a slow start to life in the Premier League, Jean-Philippe Mateta has grown into one of the division's most prolific goalscorers.

Since scoring 13 goals in the final 13 games of the 2023/24 Premier League season, the Crystal Palace man has proved the run was more than just a hot streak, scoring 14 more goals this term to sit 10th in the league's top scorer standings, attracting attention from bigger clubs.

It's something Mateta has worked hard at, picking the brain of one of the Premier League's greatest goalscorers - Thierry Henry - at last year's Olympics.

"When I was with him at the Olympics, I’d talk to him and say, ‘I want to do a meeting with you, like a video, watch some goals’," Mateta told the New York Times. "And it’s what we did. I said, ‘What do you think about this or that?’ and he answered the questions!

"I always talk to [goalkeeping coach Dean Kiely] before the game and he gives me advice. I naturally want to ask him questions about goalkeepers.”

Mateta has become a fan favourite at Selhurst Park, not just because of his goals, but the accompanying celebration that goes with it. Mateta launches into a kung-fu kick, greeted by a loud chorus of Palace fans chanting 'boom' in return.

"Everybody likes to be loved,” he said. “I like to speak with the fans and dance on the pitch because they pay for the ticket and want to see the players. I want to give them something back.

"Some fathers bring their kids, the kids want to be footballers. If they can have a little bit of a smile from me, a ‘boom’, kick the corner flag… you just ask them to be louder. If I can do this, I will give 100 per cent every day."

Mateta's form has dipped slightly since suffering a horror injury in the FA Cup tie at Millwall that resulted in the striker receiving 25 stiches, scoring just twice in his last 10 games, but the Frenchman is keen not to be affected by it.

"I don’t even think about it," I don’t watch those clips, but when I see it in the mirror, it reminds me. It’s something that can happen in football. When I made the run, I pushed the defender. When I turned, I saw the keeper and I moved.

"I didn’t know (how serious it was). I was on the floor and the doc came to me. I always laugh with the doc because I wanted to play. I took time on the floor because I knew the keeper would get the red card.

"It wasn’t really painful because of the adrenaline, but when the doc saw my head, he said: ‘Trust me, don’t move’. I was like, ‘No, no. I want to play’. I was feeling good. I wanted to beat Millwall to go to the next round. Even Marc Guehi came to me and said, ‘Just go off, man’.

"But I try to look forward, I don’t really stay in the past. When I had the stitches, I was like, ‘What’s next?’"