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15 of the best quotes about N’Golo Kante: ‘He’s like a rat, he’s everywhere’

N’Golo Kante has established himself as one of the most highly-rated midfielders in the world since moving to England – and the tributes have been flowing in.

Kante was a key member of Leicester City’s fairytale title win in 2015-16 and incredibly won the Premier League again the following season after a £32million move to Chelsea.

He was named the PFA Player of the year and FWA Footballer of the Year on the back of his success, but these tributes from some of the biggest names in the game may mean even more to the Frenchman.

Paul Pogba

“Everybody knows that N’Golo Kante can run for 11 players – that’s his best quality…He’s everywhere!”

Thierry Henry

“I was at the Chelsea training ground to see Eden Hazard and noticed Kante wandering back to the changing rooms. So I went over to him and stood in front of him. And I poked him in the chest. I had to, just to check if he was real!”

Claude Makelele

“I don’t want N’Golo Kante to be compared with me. Kante can be Kante. I want him to be more than me, but I love to watch him play because you can see in him the joy.

“I love the kind of player like that, who plays for the team. Sometimes you see a team with big players, but for me whenever a team is winning it is because of spirit.”

David Beckham

“To be the man mountain that he is, and the size he is, says a lot about him.”

Claudio Ranieri

“This player Kante, he was running so hard that I thought he must have a pack full of batteries hidden in his shorts. He never stopped running in training.

“I tell him: ‘One day, I’m going to see you cross the ball, and then finish the cross with a header yourself.’ He’s unbelievable.”

Eden Hazard

“He is a fantastic player. He is like a rat, he goes everywhere. He has a top mentality and is a top guy.”

Danny Drinkwater

“There’s not a game I don’t enjoy playing next to him.”

Frank Lampard

“I’d say Kante is the best central midfielder in world football, I really would.”

Didier Deschamps

“In his position, he’s one of the best players in Europe and the world. I will not complain.”

Gary Neville

“His impact has been absolutely incredible. When you watch him in games he’s infectious. He’s all over the pitch.”

Antonio Conte

“Kante is extraordinary. He brings a lot of quantity, but what quality too.”

Pat Nevin

“N’Golo Kante obviously made a huge difference with no perceptible change in his levels of fitness, tackling quality or general ability after a month-long lay-off.

“It adds to the theory he may in fact not be altogether built like the rest of us human beings.”

Andre-Pierre Gignac

“He is so quiet. But once he is on the pitch, it’s amazing.”

Gary Cahill

“To come to a new club he has stepped up again and been tremendous. He works hard and is a humble guy off the pitch and on it he is phenomenal.”

David Luiz

“N’Golo Kante’s history is amazing, as is his play. I love him. He was playing in lower divisions and was getting better and better and now he is one of the best midfielders in the world.”


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