Two seasons, two clubs, two Premier League titles. In 2015-16 N’Golo Kanté was the tireless midfielder behind Leicester City’s 5,000-to-1 title win. The next season he moved to Chelsea and won the league again. Nobody had expected either, least of all the scouts who had overlooked him for years.
Paris and Mali
Kanté was born on 29 March 1991 in Paris to parents who had emigrated from Mali. His father died when he was young. As a boy, he helped support his family by collecting litter and rubbish around the city during the 1998 World Cup, a story he has told without self-pity.
Overlooked
He was small and quiet, and French professional academies passed him by. He played for the amateur club JS Suresnes for years before signing for US Boulogne’s reserve side. From there he moved to Caen, where he helped the club win promotion to Ligue 1 and impressed in the top flight.
Leicester
In 2015, Leicester City signed him for a modest fee. Under Claudio Ranieri, he covered more ground than almost any player in the league, winning the ball back again and again for Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez to attack. Leicester won the title, and fans joked that the Earth is covered 70 percent by water and the rest by Kanté.
Chelsea
Chelsea signed him that summer. Under Antonio Conte, he won the league again in 2016-17 and was named PFA Players’ Player of the Year and Football Writers’ Footballer of the Year. Later at Chelsea he won the FA Cup, the Europa League and, in 2021, the Champions League, where he was named man of the match in the final.
World champion
Kanté was a key player in France’s 2018 World Cup win in Russia, protecting the defence in a team full of attacking stars. He returned to the France squad for Euro 2024 after injury problems and was among the team’s best players at the tournament.
Al-Ittihad
In 2023 Kanté joined Al-Ittihad in Saudi Arabia. The move was part of a wave of big-name transfers to the Saudi Pro League.
The humble star
Kanté’s reputation off the pitch is unusual in modern football. Stories about his modest car, his politeness and his refusal of attention are part of his legend. Teammates have described him as one of the most liked players in any dressing room.
Many players with his talent are discovered at twelve. Kanté was discovered in his twenties, after years in amateur football. His career is a reminder of how much talent football’s scouting system misses.
