Wilfried Zaha has vehemently denied allegations of "bullying" made against him by his former Crystal Palace teammate, Jean-Philippe Mateta. The dispute arose after Mateta, who recently earned his first call-up and scored a goal for the French national team, claimed in an interview with French outlet L'Equipe that Zaha had laughed at his aspirations of playing for France during their time together at Selhurst Park.

Mateta, who joined Crystal Palace in January 2022, stated that when he spoke about his France team ambitions in the dressing room, Zaha and other teammates ridiculed him, questioning his chances when he wasn't even playing for Crystal Palace. However, the 28-year-old striker, named Crystal Palace's Player of the Year for 2023-24 after scoring 16 goals and providing six assists, insisted he remained steadfast in his belief.

Zaha, now on loan at Charlotte FC in MLS from parent club Galatasaray, responded to Mateta's claims with fury. In a video posted online, Zaha expressed his frustration and refuted the notion that he had bullied or belittled Mateta. He explained that the conversations were lighthearted and that any laughter was simply joking around, not meant to diminish Mateta's ambitions. Zaha emphasized that he would never intentionally make someone feel inferior or suggest they wouldn't achieve their goals.

"It was never a thing where I laughed at him," Zaha clarified. "It was a thing where we were laughing... as friends we laughed it off". He further added, "I never made anyone feel like 's***'. I never… everyone knows me. The only time on the pitch is when I'm passionate and all that stuff. But I'd never bully someone or say someone won't make it here or won't make it at all or nothing like that".

Zaha, a Crystal Palace icon with 90 goals and 54 assists in 458 appearances, felt it was "disgusting" that someone he considered a friend would make such accusations. He suggested that some individuals were not happy for him during his time at Crystal Palace. He concluded his statement by saying, "This is why I don't have football friends. This is why I keep myself to myself," highlighting the breakdown in the relationship between the two former teammates.

The spat between Zaha and Mateta has surprised many, considering they shared the same dressing room for two and a half seasons. While Mateta initially struggled to adapt to English football, he has since become a key player for Crystal Palace. Zaha's departure from Crystal Palace in 2023 marked the end of an era for the club, and some fans have wondered how the team might perform with him back in the fold. However, the current situation suggests that a return to Selhurst Park is unlikely.