- Crystal Palace star Maxence Lacroix makes World Cup squad
- Oliver Glasner delighted for France defender
- Jean-Philippe Mateta also ecstatic
Oliver Glasner is delighted to see Crystal Palace defender Maxence Lacroix make France’s World Cup squad. The Eagles centre-back deservedly earned a dream call-up for the tournament this summer.
Lacroix has been a key man for Glasner, not just at Palace but also at VfL Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga. This season, he has stepped up even more so, taking the leadership role in the backline following Marc Guehi’s departure.
Before the 26-year-old thinks about the World Cup, he’ll be focused on helping the South London outfit make more history. A UEFA Conference League final against Rayo Vallecano on May 27th awaits.
“We talked about this” – Oliver Glasner
Glasner has explained just how much a World Cup call-up means to Lacroix. He recalled a conversation from their time at Wolfsburg:
“I think it’s massive for him, and I’m really delighted because he worked so hard. I talked to Maxence two years ago when we wanted to sign him from Wolfsburg. We talked about this… because that’s his big dream, playing for France.”
Lacroix has earned two caps to date for France, having made his international debut during March’s international break. He joins Jean-Philippe Mateta in Deschamps’ squad, with Les Bleus one of the favourites to win the World Cup.
France still have friendlies ahead of the competition to ensure their players are ready to go. Lacroix could feature in encounters with the Ivory Coast (June 4th) and Northern Ireland (June 8th).
Mateta’s Reaction to Lacroix Call Up
A video of Mateta reacting to his and Lacroix’s call-ups has surfaced online, and it’s one that Palace fans will cherish. You can see just how it means to the striker to make the squad and also his passion for his teammate.
You can watch the video below:
Glasner was asked about Mateta’s upbeat personality, which was on show in that video. He responded:
“That’s him. We talk a lot about tactics and what we want to do on the pitch, but very often we show the players how they celebrate together and how the bench reacts when we score a goal.”
Mateta has made three appearances for France, scoring two goals. He missed out on a place in France’s squad for the March international break but he has replaced injured Liverpool forward Hugo Ekitike for the World Cup.
