True to form, N’Golo Kante has just revealed that even he does not consider himself as the nicest man in football, saying that he is just being himself.
Much has been said about Kante’s stunning rise to the top of world football with his industry at the heart of midfield. Plying his trade for French club Caen in Ligue 2 just three years ago, Kante has established himself in the forefront of the Premier League’s elite midfielders, having gone on to capture two league titles, as well as winning the World Cup with Les Bleus this summer.
However, the 27-year-old’s all-action playstyle on the pitch which hardly goes unnoticed cannot be more different from his couldn’t-really-be-bothered personality, with Kante always stepping into the back and out of the limelight, preferring to opt for a more reserved demeanour. A shining example of his humility was France’s World Cup celebrations when his Les Bleus teammates had to persuade him into lifting the trophy.
Yet in a recent interview featured on the west London club’s magazine publication, Kante has insisted he only wants to be seen as a footballer and has pleaded for everyone to refrain from talking about his personal life.
“I play football and I want to be considered as a footballer,” said the France international. “I don’t want people paying too much attention about what I am outside of football, what I’m doing, and asking: ‘Who is N’Golo?’
“Just consider me as a footballer, you don’t need to look too much at this and say: ‘Oh, he’s like this, he’s like this, he’s like this.’ Ask me about my football, and not too much else. I just want to be a player among the players.”
When asked about his reputation as one of the nicest men in football, Kante just shrugged off the tag in typical fashion.
“I am how I am. I cannot explain it well, but I don’t feel the nicest person, on the football pitch or in life, I’m just myself,” continued Kante. “If I win, I win and if I lose, I lose, but I always try to give my best in any competition. That’s not because I’m nice or something. I’m just myself.”
