'England is perfect for him': Mateta's winding road to Crystal Palace
11-Feb-2021 12:00:13 | The Guardian
The striker from a tough Paris banlieue has packed a lot into his career at the age of 23 and has no time for social media
“I grew up in Sevran so I’m used to insults,” reflected Jean-Philippe Mateta. “There, insults are like saying hello. When you play neighbourhood football with the grown-ups, they insult you, put pressure on you. If you don’t play well, you get hit, so you’re scared. In Ajaccio, I knew they couldn’t touch me.”
It is approaching three years since Crystal Palace’s new striker was racially abused by supporters during the Ligue 2 play-off final in Corsica. Mateta’s penalty in extra-time had given Le Havre the lead and his celebration – pushing his ears forward with his hands in the direction of the stands – provoked a brawl that led to three red cards, including one for the player from one of Paris’s toughest banlieues.
Related: English football is consumed by racism and hatred. Can the cycle be broken? | Jonathan Liew
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