Maxence Lacroix: French media dub ‘dominant’ Crystal Palace star ‘the big winner’ from win vs Colombia
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Credit: Imago Mon 30 March 2026 10:30, UK Maxence Lacroix has been thrust into the spotlight away from Crystal Palace this week after making his first appearances for France.The defender replaced William Saliba in Didier Deschamps’ squad and was handed his full debut on Sunday as his side beat Colombia 3-1 in the United States.Lacroix has enjoyed another superb season for Palace, and has attracted interest from elsewhere ahead of this summer.The 25-year-old is under contract at Selhurst Park until 2029, however, and will not be sold on the cheap if he is to go.Palace signed Lacroix from Wolfsburg in 2024 in a deal worth around £18million – a fee that has looked more and more like a bargain in the time since. MORE FOOTBALL INSIDER STORIES French media rave about Maxence LacroixFormer Manchester United chief scout Mick Brown exclusively told Football Insider last week that Palace are worried about Lacroix, with interest in him expected to take a step up this summer.The 25-year-old’s performance on Sunday could even see him emerge as a shock contender to go to the World Cup, which would certainly raise his transfer profile.Maxence Lacroixvs ColombiaMinutes played90Accurate passes42/45Successful dribbles1/1Tackles4Interceptions1Recoveries2Duels won5/7Lacroix was excellent on his full debut, completing nearly all of his passes and providing a calm and solid presence at the back.The defender made several key defensive contributions, including four tackles and four clearances, and would have been frustrated to have lost his clean sheet when Jaminton Campaz scored.Nonetheless, the Palace man has done enough to place himself in the thoughts of Deschamps, who is known for making selection decisions on a whim.
The World Cup-winning manager has his favourites, and if he takes a particular liking to Lacroix, he could well find himself heading back to North America this summer.GFFN (GetFootballNewsFrance) reporter Jeremy Smith awarded the defender a 7/10 for his performance on Sunday, and wrote: “The big winner of this international meet?“Was not in the original squad but looked comfortably the most assured of the four centre-backs to feature across the two matches. 1ère convocation en Bleu pour Maxence Lacroix 🇫🇷👏Le défenseur de @CPFC, âgé de 25 ans et déjà passé par les sélections de jeunes, est attendu ce lundi à Clairefontaine.🔄 Il remplace William Saliba, touché à la cheville gauche, à qui l’on souhaite un bon rétablissement. pic.twitter.com/DbSkTsjiKU— Equipe de France ⭐⭐ (@equipedefrance) March 22, 2026 View Tweet “Dominant in the air, an excellent last-ditch block and began the move for France’s second too.”When will Didier Deschamps announce his World Cup squad?Lacroix will face plenty of competition for a place in Deschamps 26-man squad to go to the World Cup this summer.Saliba is expected to start in North America, and he will likely be alongside one of Ibrahima Konate or Dayot Upamecano.The likes of Lucas Hernandez and Pierre Kalulu also remain in the mix, with Deschamps certainly not facing a dearth of options.Yet Lacroix’s performance on Sunday could well have thrown him up the pecking order.
He will find out when the World Cup squad is announced on May 14. 🦅 Don’t Miss a Beat: Your Crystal Palace Insider Access Get the full story from Selhurst Park and Beckenham with our dedicated expert hubs: Updated 24/7 with expert analysis from the heart of South London.