French star Jean-Philippe Mateta has returned to club football with a bang after over six weeks out due to a knee injury.
Manager Oliver Glasner has eased him back into action, starting him in European competition while managing his fitness after he missed six weeks.
The 28-year-old in six games has scored three times, a brace against Newcastle and netting once against Fiorentina in April 2026.
Mateta might just count himself lucky to return to full fitness and top form at the right time as he returns to contention to make France’s World Cup squad.
Analysts are monitoring the change in selection odds using the best offers of bookmakers to hedge against roster uncertainty.
Will Mateta make France World Cup Squad?
Mateta may well have been handed a World Cup chance after Hugo Ekitike suffered an unfortunate injury.
Ekitike ruptured his Achilles tendon in his side’s two-nil loss to Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League.
As a result, the former PSG striker will be out of the World Cup with France and Didier Deschamps will need to look at another attacking option.
Mateta, who has dealt with his injury issues this season, remains the man for the big occasion, and it’s so harsh for him not to be favoured over Kolo Muani.
The lanky striker has earned three caps for France, scoring two goals, including a vital strike in a 2-2 draw against Iceland.
But he looks to have a massive job on his hands to try to convince Deschamps that he should be the one to replace Ekitike.
The final month of the domestic season serves as a high-stakes audition for Mateta; fans tracking his progress can find the best free bet offers on our website to leverage his rising stock as a potential World Cup wildcard.
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