There aren’t many players who are more popular than former Chelsea star, N’Golo Kante.
From winning the Premier League title at Leicester City to securing Champions League glory in Chelsea colours.
N’Golo Kante has done it all at club level, including winning the 2018 World Cup with France, but he isn’t done yet.
The 33-year-old left Stamford Bridge last summer and moved to the Saudi Pro League to join Al-Ittihad.
The all-action midfielder had injury issues before departing Chelsea and many felt that his career at the highest level had come to an end.
But class is permanent for a reason and Kante proved that during France’s 1-0 win over Austria at Euro 2024 on Monday.
Didier Deschamps’s side opened their account by seeing off a very difficult and energetic Austrian team, with Gary Neville and Roy Keane amazed by the levels shown by Kante.
Neville admitted that he felt that Kante was ‘finished’ after leaving Chelsea, but agreeing with Keane, he thinks the midfielder was ‘absolutely outstanding’ on his return to the national set-up, as he told ITV Sport.
This was the Kante of old. The box-to-box energy machine. He was everywhere and rightfully picked up the Man of the Match award.
N’Golo Kante helps France beat Austria at Euro 2024
“He was brilliant,” said Keane. “He has got that vast experience. I think what he is really good at, we talk about breaking the play up, but it’s when he does the other bits as well.
“He’s sharp with his passing. He covers the ground, we know that. His decision-making is excellent. But he is neat and tidy with his passing. He loves a little one-two. He can pass it forward. He makes runs forward. He looked like a younger version of himself. He was excellent – that role is about football intelligence and he has it in abundance.”
Neville responded: “You just said it, Roy. He’s not just a holding midfield player. He is everywhere on the pitch. He runs forward and Rabiot just sits back from him and balances it off. I thought he was absolutely outstanding tonight. The best player on the pitch – A few years ago, he looked like he was finished. Sometimes, a second lease of life, obviously, he is playing in a great team and brought back. Sometimes, when you get to that age of 30 or 31, you are near the end of your career and you get stale, then you start to enjoy your career a bit more.”
N’Golo Kante in the Premier League
They say don’t buy a player off the back of a tournament. How about buying a legend off the back of a tournament?
It wouldn’t be a surprise if some Premier League teams are looking at that Kante performance with their eyes wide open.
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There is still a long way to go, but if he still has that in his locker, then some might just knock for his services this summer.
Chelsea just appointed Enzo Maresca as their new manager after Mauricio Pochettino’s shock exit, with a player of Kante’s experience and know-how needed for this young side, especially with Thiago Silva also leaving.
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