Selhurst Park isn’t just a Premier League football ground, but the heart of a vibrant and diverse community, stretching back a century since Palace’s arrival in 1924. Find out more about the incredible history of Selhurst Park.

100 Years of Selhurst Park

## BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM!

> Mateta burst into the room on an initial 18-month loan deal in January 2021. He wrote his name into Palace folklore with his first goal being a sensational backheel nutmeg against Brighton & Hove Albion.

Paris-born Mateta had impressed in the Bundesliga for Mainz with 10 goals in 17 appearances across all competitions in 20/21. He moved to south London as the German side's top scorer.

He began his professional career in the French third-tier, before making a major move to seven-times champions Lyon. After excelling on loan with Le Havre, Mateta moved to Mainz, where he established himself as a regular in the German top-flight, scoring 27 goals in 71 games in total, including a hat-trick against SC Freiburg during this campaign.

On the international stage, Mateta was part of the France side that reached the last four of the Under-21 European Championships in 2019, scoring the opening goal in the semi-final.

Mateta was born in the Sevran suburb of Paris, the youngest of seven children. He began playing for a club out of town from the age of 14, spending hours travelling from home each day to make training.

Unlike many young French players, Mateta’s formative years were not spent in the development centre of a major club; instead, he did it the hard way.

After impressing in a trial with then third-division side Châteauroux, he left home for good aged 17 and embarked on the journey to professional football.

Having impressed at Châteauroux with 16 goals in 27 first-team appearances, Mateta secured a big move to title challengers Lyon.

However, his first-team minutes were limited in a frustrating season, with three appearances to his name. When the chance of a loan move and first-team football came knocking, he took it.

Signing for second division Le Havre, Mateta scored 17 league goals to power his new side towards promotion. In the play-off semi-finals, he scored twice in a 2-2 draw before they were knocked out via penalty shoot-out.

It was at Le Havre that Mateta was able to showcase his eye for goals. “You’re born a striker,” he said. “You are born and greedy for goals. Even as a little boy, I wanted to score, save my team, score the winning goal in close matches and be the one whose name is roared by the fans.”

Attracting attention in Germany, Mateta moved to Mainz for a club-record fee, and found himself back at the top level of European football. Having grown up playing on the streets of Paris, he didn’t let the higher intensity scupper his development:

“If you have learned to play football on the street, you automatically become a fighter,” he told German media.

“Wherever I ended up in my career, there were almost always guys who I thought: ‘They have more comprehensive football training, they are more technically complete, they can do this and that better than me.’ But the point always came when I said to myself: ‘I’m going to destroy it all the more.’

“I was more hungry.”

Having settled in south London, Mateta earned the favour of Palace fans with his first ever goal - a backheel flick - coming in a 1-2 victory away at Brighton. He also netted against local rivals Millwall, knocking the Lions out of the FA Cup in 2021/22.

These efforts saw his loan-move turn into a four-and-a-half-year permanent deal on deadline day in January 2022.

Upon Roy Hodgson's return, Mateta netted a dramatic stoppage-time winner against Leicester City to spark one of the great Selhurst Park celebrations in April 2023. He finished 2022/23 with two goals in 32 games across all competitions.

The start of the 2023/24 season saw the Frenchman pick up minutes off the bench, though he did score a hat-trick against Plymouth Argyle in the EFL Cup. He really got into his stride in December 2023, scoring in back-to-back games against title-chasing Liverpool and Manchester City.

With the arrival of new manager Oliver Glasner in February 2024, Mateta became the focal-point of his attacks and his form saw a rapid uptick. He scored 13 goals in the 13 Premier League games that remained, including back-to-back braces against West Ham and Newcastle.

He signed off 23/24 in some style, netting a hat-trick in a resounding 5-0 thumping of Aston Villa on the final day of the season. This was Palace's first hat-trick since Yannick Bolasie's triple against Sunderland almost a decade ago. His stats for the season saw him average almost a goal every other game, with 19 in 39 appearances across all competitions.

The striker's performances saw him rewarded with a call-up to Thierry Henry's France squad for the 2024 Olympic Games, which were hosted in Mateta's hometown of Paris.

He made his 100th appearance in red and blue as a substitute against Liverpool in October 2024. In February 2025, Mateta became Palace's joint-second highest goalscorer in the Premier League, equalling Christian Benteke's tally of 35.

Crystal Palace, 2023/24

Player of the Season

Players' Player of the Season

April 2024, January 2025

Palace Player of the Month

Mateta

Twitter

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Appearances

Goals

Day In The Life: JP Mateta

'TEAM RATES' | Palace players rate themselves

Extended Highlights: Crystal Palace 1-2 Everton | Palace TV+

The Full 90: Crystal Palace v Everton | Palace TV+

Match Action: Crystal Palace 1-2 Everton

Eze & Mateta greet a school visit to the Training Ground

Jean-Philippe Mateta's Day at School

Access All Over: Manchester United (A)

Mateta v United | All The Angles #2

Extended Highlights Manchester United 0-2 Crystal Palace | Palace TV+

The Full 90: Manchester United v Crystal Palace | Palace TV+ 

Match Action: Manchester United 0-2 Crystal Palace 

Mateta on a brace at old Trafford

Player of The Month: January 2025 | Jean-Philipe Mateta

Access All Over: Leicester AND West Ham (A)

Goals Inside Box

Goals Outside Box

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Hit woodwork

Penalties taken

Penalties scored

Touches

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Aerial duels

Aerial duels won

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Chances created

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Season

Games

### A counter-attack to end all counter-attacks

Where else to start? The second Eagles goal was nothing short of sensational. Pure quality, at lightning pace. 

JP dancing through the Fulham midfield, and then turning creator, wing-back Daniel Muñoz taking a perfect touch to set himself before slamming the ball home. 

Then, of course, the celebration scenes that followed. It's always worth a second (or fourteenth) watch.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Now that, is how you break...<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CPFC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CPFC</a> // <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FULCRY?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FULCRY</a> <a href="https://t.co/lhPjiJ1W0S">pic.twitter.com/lhPjiJ1W0S</a></p>&mdash; Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) <a href="https://twitter.com/CPFC/status/1893420504230338745?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 22, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### Ebs doing things only Ebs can

Ebere Eze put in a brilliant performance on his return to the starting XI, running the Fulham defence ragged, but this was certainly the funniest moment of the afternoon.

How do you mark your return to the Palace line-up? Well, you simply do this...

Also were it not for a tight VAR call, he would have produced one of the assists of the season in the second half, when his outrageous backheel round the defender played in Mateta to score.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Just leaving this here from yesterday <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CPFC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CPFC</a> <a href="https://t.co/0siGxjmbCe">pic.twitter.com/0siGxjmbCe</a></p>&mdash; Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) <a href="https://twitter.com/CPFC/status/1893602199223062635?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 23, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### Maxence Lacroix's last gasp challenge

The Palace backline was once again rock solid away from home on Saturday, with all three centre-backs putting in near flawless performances. 

But we'll narrowly give the standout defensive moment of the day to Lacroix's last gasp tackle on Raul Jimenez not long after half-time. A vital stop with the game at 1-0 - it proved vital to Palace enjoying such a comfortable second half.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="fr" dir="ltr">Maxence Lacroix LOVE <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CPFC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CPFC</a> // <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FULCRY?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FULCRY</a> <a href="https://t.co/1dnaMYKCTv">pic.twitter.com/1dnaMYKCTv</a></p>&mdash; Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) <a href="https://twitter.com/CPFC/status/1893399865742504359?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 22, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### Another superb away following

With such an excellent performance, it was inevitable that another noisy Palace away end would lap it up, with superb support throughout the day - particularly in the closing minutes and at full-time. We could still hear both "three points again ole, ole" and "Maxence Lacroix, ole, ole," long after the full-time whistle.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">You know the lyrics 👀🇫🇷<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CPFC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CPFC</a> // <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FULCRY?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FULCRY</a> <a href="https://t.co/lOxnggaJhC">pic.twitter.com/lOxnggaJhC</a></p>&mdash; Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) <a href="https://twitter.com/CPFC/status/1893371176661221571?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 22, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">Mi hermano 🇨🇴🫶<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CPFC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CPFC</a> // <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FULCRY?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FULCRY</a> <a href="https://t.co/QNdgFOzMt0">pic.twitter.com/QNdgFOzMt0</a></p>&mdash; Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) <a href="https://twitter.com/CPFC/status/1893352554609942846?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 22, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### History made

Sunday's victory means it is now five Premier League away games without conceding for Palace, with the last four all resulting in wins. 

It is the first time the Eagles have won four top-flight games on the spin, with Oliver Glasner's team continuing to make history. Palace have collected 22 points on the road this season - only Liverpool, Arsenal and Nottingham Forest have a better away points total at this stage of the campaign. 

Long may it continue!

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">🙅‍♂️ Crystal Palace are now unbeaten in 9 Premier League games away from home.<br><br>Palace are 4th in the away form table, with 22 points from 13 games.<br><br>What a job Oliver Glasner is doing 😍👏<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CPFC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CPFC</a> <a href="https://t.co/Khp7dk5w42">pic.twitter.com/Khp7dk5w42</a></p>&mdash; The Palace Way (@ThePalaceWay) <a href="https://twitter.com/ThePalaceWay/status/1893344548677353592?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 22, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Crystal Palace continued our fine run of form on the road on Saturday, seeing off Fulham 2-0 to make it four Premier League wins on the spin - here's five things we loved from an excellent afternoon at Craven Cottage

Five things we loved from our win at Fulham

Crystal Palace

Premier League

Fulham

Last Match

Aston Villa

Next Match

SHOP EAGLE YELLOW

The Eagles took the lead 10 minutes before half-time when former Palace defender Joachim Andersen diverted Will Hughes' corner into his own net, before a stunning Palace counter-attack then ended with wing-back Daniel Muñoz slamming the ball home from a tight angle in front of a jubilant away end.

In a day full of fantastic performances, you've chosen **Hughes** to be your star man, with the midfielder winning **45.7%** of supporters' votes.

The midfielder was influential at both ends of the pitch, winning a team-high five tackles, having the most touches (66), creating the most chances (three) and completing the most passes (42) of any Palace player.

You also awarded plenty of votes to goalscorer **Muñoz** (28.1%) and playmaker **Ebere Eze** (11.1%) – but in truth there was plenty to celebrate around the entire squad.

**See the full results from your Player of the Match vote below!**

Crystal Palace produced another magnificent away performance to see off Fulham 2-0 on Saturday afternoon – and you've selected your Player of the Match!

Your Player of the Match from Fulham win revealed

Glasner on superb victory at Fulham

Fulham defender and ex-Eagle Joachim Andersen headed into his own goal under pressure from Maxence Lacroix to ensure Palace were ahead at half-time. 

Daniel Munoz's stunner sealed the win when he beat Bernd Leno at his near post midway through the second half.

It meant Glasner's players gave their manager the perfect anniversary present - last Wednesday marking a year since he took charge of the Eagles. And he was keen to praise the team's discipline in particular.

"Congratulations and all the credit to the players for this win," Glasner told BBC Sport. "Because they worked so hard for this win, they were so disciplined all over the game. 

"We didn't give them clear chances today, we were very compact and waited for the situations. We had several chances, then we used a set-play to take the lead. We had to also wait \[with the\] disallowed goal.

"Then in the next situation, it was an amazing goal \[from Muñoz\], and then we were always defending as a team. We had to be disciplined and wait, staying patient throughout.  

"We know that we can always score goals from different situations, we know that we can be very tough to play against, especially when we defend like we did today."

Another defensive shut-out - and a clean sheet for Dean Henderson - completed the perfect afternoon for Palace, who have now not conceded in their last five away games.

And Glasner was quick to acknowledge the team effort required for the strong defensive record.

"It's not just the back line of course," added Glasner. "Dean Henderson is doing very well, but everything starts with the front three, because they have to close the passing lines.

"Everybody does their job on a very, very high level, and I think it's difficult to create chances against us.

"But we always have to be disciplined, and wait for the situations, and I also think, especially in the first half, we did well in possession as well.

"We moved the ball quickly, created some attacking situations, and it's also important that we can take a breath \[away from defending\].

"But when you have the fifth clean sheet in a row, in a way, that always means that you have at least five points."

Oliver Glasner praised his Crystal Palace team for a "disciplined" defensive display after a fourth away victory on the spin for the Eagles, with a 2-0 win against Fulham.

First-team

First-team

Five things we loved from our win at Fulham

Your Player of the Match from Fulham win revealed

Glasner: "We know we can be tough to play against"

SHOP EAGLE YELLOW

Latest Videos

The Full 90: Fulham v Crystal Palace | Palace TV+

Extended Highlights: Fulham 0-2 Crystal Palace | Palace TV+

All The Angles | Muñoz v Fulham

U18 Match Highlights: Crystal Palace 4-1 Aston Villa

Eze on the great away form

Lacroix over the moon with another 0-2 away win

14Jean-Philippe
Mateta

First-team

First-team

Five things we loved from our win at Fulham

Your Player of the Match from Fulham win revealed

Glasner: "We know we can be tough to play against"

SHOP EAGLE YELLOW

Latest Videos

The Full 90: Fulham v Crystal Palace | Palace TV+

Extended Highlights: Fulham 0-2 Crystal Palace | Palace TV+

All The Angles | Muñoz v Fulham

U18 Match Highlights: Crystal Palace 4-1 Aston Villa

Eze on the great away form

Lacroix over the moon with another 0-2 away win

14Jean-PhilippeMateta

14Jean-Philippe
Mateta