Crystal Palace defender Maxence Lacroix knows something of keeping his nerve in high pressure moments.
The Frenchman held his breath in the final moments of the 2025 Emirates FA Cup Final with the Eagles 1-0 up against Manchester City and awaiting the full-time whistle.
Oliver Glasner’s side didn’t have the easiest route to Wembley – where they’ll return this weekend when they go head-to-head with Liverpool in the FA Community Shield – but a first major trophy made is all worth it.
“When you walked into the stadium and out onto the pitch, to see all our fans, it just felt right, felt good,” he continued.
“That Villa game was tough, but winning it gave me the confidence that we could win the Final. Even when we knew it would be against City, I felt confident. You have to respect them, obviously, because they are a top team, but everyone I spoke to just had a feeling we would do it.
“A lot of people talked about having the ‘faith’ that we would do it, whether or not they are religious.
“I’m pleased we played a top team like Manchester City in the Final. Sometimes, when you beat what you might call smaller teams, you might not deserve to be called the best, but in beating City we beat one of the best teams.”
After entering the tournament in the third round, Palace came up against south London rivals Millwall in the fifth round and after booking their place in the quarter-final and taking the local bragging rights, the 25 year old started to believe.
“I said to a lot of people not only in the locker room, but also to journalists, that we were capable of winning it,” explained Lacroix.
“Before the season started, I remember praying and God said to me that I would win a trophy.
“We did okay in the League Cup but came up against Arsenal and lost to them in the quarter-final, but in the FA Cup, I just had a feeling. It got stronger as we got past Fulham, then Aston Villa. In the final, I felt confident.”
And the indescribable feeling of getting his hands on the trophy is one that was unrivalled.
“It’s like a dream,” he said. “The type of emotion you feel in that moment, you don’t feel that every day. Time stops.
“I watched on YouTube the last ten minutes of the game, and when you see it, you can’t help but feel we were going to win.
“There was just a belief. I think, when you face a team like City, you know it’s going to be hard. They are expected to win, so when it’s so close to you winning it, that emotion and joy, there is nothing that can match that.
“I remember chatting to the referee when the game was still going on in the last seconds and telling him to please blow the whistle. I said: ‘please, let us write history!’ He obviously couldn’t do that, but he said to me: ‘if it’s meant to be, it’ll work out’.”
And the Eagles will be hoping to taste success under the arch once again this weekend.
