Leicester City are having a dream season in the Premier League which has seen Riyad Mahrez and Jamie Vardy rise to prominence with their impressive displays, goals and assists.
However, it is another member of Claudio Ranieri’s side who deserves great credit for the team’s successful campaign in the league – N’Golo Kante.
As Vardy and Mahrez earn the plaudits and hit the limelight, the French-born midfielder is doing all of the dirty work behind his teammates.
The ball-winning midfielder has been a huge revelation ever since his arrival to the King Power Stadium from Caen last summer. With a transfer of £5.6 million, the 24-year-old Kante has been one of the bargains of the season, who has seen a drastic rise in his value over the course of the campaign.
His rise to prominence is a proper dream story which will teach you that hard work and perseverance do pay off.
N’Golo is one of the nine children in the Kante family, who came to France from Mali. With football as his favourite pastime, N’Golo joined JS Souresnes where he fast-tracked his way through the youth ranks and into the senior team at the age of 19.
He then joined third tier French side, US Boulogne, before his move to Caen in 2013 where went on to play 38 games helping his Ligue 2 side to the third-place finish and promotion to Ligue 1.
In August 2015, Kante made a move to the Premier League having agreed a four-year deal with Leicester City.
The French midfielder has seen his rise to prominence simultaneous to his club’s, and Kante has been the mainstay in Ranieri’s team this season, earning rave reviews for his battling performances.
His ability to regain possession in the centre of the pitch has been vital to Leicester City, while his tireless strides up and down the turf have also been one of the main aspects of his game.
Described as religious, humble and shy, Kante is not shy when it comes to going upfront and running forward with the ball at his feet, while he is always there to help Leicester’s backline in defence duties.
N’Golo Kante was one of the best players once again at the weekend in Leicester City’s unfortunate last-gasp defeat at the Emirates stadium.
The 24-year-old has become the first Premier League player to reach 100 interceptions this season, according to EA Sports. Before the Arsenal game he had made 17 more interceptions than his closest challenger Aston Villa’s Idrissa Gueye.
Despite his diminutive physique, N’Golo Kante is a proper machine, which never stops running, a player who is never afraid to throw a tackle or get into a challenge.
“It will not surprise me the day he crosses the ball from the flank and gets into the penalty area to head it,” Ranieri said.
“He is someone who knows where the ball will go, knows where the opposition will move, knows everything first.”
The 24-year-old midfielder has attracted a lot of attention with his sublime performances and even Arsene Wenger spoke of his admiration towards the French player, who could this summer make what would be the biggest step in his career so far.
Namely, N’Golo Kante is being touted for a call-up to the French national team and could be awarded with a chance to represent his country at the 2016 European Championship finals.
Son to Mali-born parents, N’Golo had received calls to represent the African nation in the past, but claimed he was not interested in international football.
Still, he remains indecisive over the final call as Didier Deschamps is reportedly considering the option of including him to the French Euro 2016 set-up.
“For the moment, I haven’t taken a decision. We will see what happens, I am concentrating on my club,” he said.
There is no doubt that playing for the national team would be the best reward possible for the quiet, hard-working boy, who made it through the demanding football world all by himself.
