Kylian is the poster boy, but Kante steals French hearts
N’GOLO KANTE scuttled out of the stadium with a turn of pace which he does not generally seem to find necessary on the field. He was being pursued by interviewers, wanting to ask him about how he had just locked Lionel Messi out of a World Cup knockout match but his usual diffidence was in evidence. He is not one for analytical post-match conversations. Kante had certainly expressed himself on the pitch. Though Kylian Mbappe claimed the spotlight on Saturday, Kante did the equally important job of shackling Messi. Blaise Matuidi was seen as the player who would have to deter the Argentina captain, but as the No 10 tried to move inside it was Chelsea’s anchorman he ran into. His consistency here over these past three weeks has contributed to the nation falling in love with him. ‘France loves this little man,’ L’Equipe declared yesterday when it felt the need to remind its readers of the 27-year-old who ‘was playing in the ninth division of French football eight years ago’. It’s three years since he left for Leicester and having only played for Boulogne and Caen in France he is comparatively little known. While France laboured in the group stages, Kante won back possession 29 times — more than any other player whose nation made the knockout stage. ‘The guardian angel,’ he was
called in France last week. That is why Didier Deschamps has made him such a key part of the side. On Saturday, Paul Pogba was freed by Kante to become the axis between defence and attack in a French side which, above all, had balance. ‘With N’Golo it’s easier,’ Pogba said. ‘He runs everywhere. He has 15 lungs. Football is much easier with players like that.’