N'Golo Kanté

N'Golo Kanté (; born 29 March 1991) is a French football player. He plays for Saudi Arabian side Al-Ittihad and the French National Team.

He made his name in the English Premier League with Leicester City. They won the league on 2015/16, largely because his tackles in midfield and passes to Jamie Vardy created so many goals. 

Chelsea bought him next year (2016–17) for £32 million, and they also won the league that year. Since then opposing sides have adjusted to his particular skills, and he has been somewhat less successful. Nevertheless, his performance has been extraordinary as a midfielder only 5'6" tall in an era where most defenders are much taller.

Kanté made his senior international debut for France in 2016. In 2017 Kanté was named the French Player of the Year, a first for a player from the Premier League in seven years. 12 months later he was a key member of the 2018 FIFA World Cup winning squad.

 Personal life 
Kanté's parents moved to France in 1980 from the African country of Mali 11 years before his birth.

Career statistics
Club

+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competitionClubSeasonLeagueNational cupLeague cupContinentalOtherTotalDivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsBoulogne2011–12Ligue 2100000——102012–13Championnat National3732100——394Total3832100——404Caen2013–14Ligue 23824110——4332014–15Ligue 13721110——393Total7545220——826Leicester City2015–16Premier League3711020——401Chelsea2016–17Premier League3515110——4122017–18Premier League341502060104812018–19Premier League3642051100005352019–20Premier League223100040102832020–21Premier League3004010130—4802021–22Premier League262304060304222022–23Premier League70000020—90Total190112011314105026913Al-Ittihad2023–24Saudi Pro League25231—6061404Career total3652131517147011147128

International

+ Appearances and goals by national team and yearNational teamYearAppsGoalsFrance20161312017702018160201930202051202170202220Total532

France score listed first, score column indicates score after each Kanté goal

+ List of international goals scored by N'Golo KantéNo.DateVenueCapOpponentScoreResultCompetition129 March 2016Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France21–04–2Friendly214 November 2020Estádio da Luz, Lisbon, Portugal441–01–02020–21 UEFA Nations League A

Honours
Leicester City
Premier League: 2015–16

Chelsea
Premier League: 2016–17
FA Cup: 2017–18; runner-up: 2016–17, 2019–20, 2020–21, 2021–22
UEFA Champions League: 2020–21
UEFA Europa League: 2018–19
UEFA Super Cup: 2021
FIFA Club World Cup: 2021
EFL Cup runner-up: 2018–19, 2021–22

France
FIFA World Cup: 2018
UEFA Nations League: 2020–21
UEFA European Championship runner-up: 2016

Individual
PFA Team of the Year: 2015–16 Premier League, 2016–17 Premier League
ESM Team of the Year: 2015–16, 2016–17
Leicester City Players' Player of the Year: 2015–16
L'Équipe Team of the Year: 2016, 2017, 2018
PFA Players' Player of the Year: 2016–17
Premier League Player of the Season: 2016–17
FWA Footballer of the Year: 2016–17
Chelsea Players' Player of the Year: 2016–17
Chelsea Player of the Year: 2017–18
UNFP Best French Player Playing Abroad: 2017, 2018
French Player of the Year: 2017
FIFA FIFPro World11: 2018, 2021 
UEFA Team of the Year: 2018
UEFA Europa League Squad of the Season: 2018–19
UEFA Champions League Squad of the Season: 2020–21
UEFA Champions League Midfielder of the Season: 2020–21

Orders
Knight of the Legion of Honour: 2018

 References 

Category:1991 births
Category:Living people
Category:Footballers from Paris
Category:Chelsea F.C. players
Category:Leicester City F.C. players
Category:Premier League players
Category:UEFA Euro 2016 players
Category:2018 FIFA World Cup players
Category:UEFA Euro 2024 players