Jamie Vardy Reveals N'Golo Kanté Wanted to Play for Mali Instead of France

In a podcast, former Leicester City teammate Jamie Vardy revealed that N'Golo Kanté initially wanted to represent Mali internationally to honor his father's roots, rather than France. Vardy and other teammates convinced Kanté that he would win the World Cup with France, which he did in 2018. Kanté, now 35 and playing for Fenerbahçe, went on to earn 69 caps for France, winning the 2018 World Cup and 2021 Nations League, and was also called up for the 2026 World Cup. The revelation sheds light on Kanté's personal dilemma early in his career.

First published Aug 4, 01:53 PM UTCUpdated Jul 22, 09:07 PM UTC1 reports · 1 sources

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Jamie Vardy Reveals N'Golo Kanté Wanted to Play for Mali Instead of France

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Jamie Vardy Reveals N'Golo Kanté Wanted to Play for Mali Instead of FranceFoot Mercato : Info Transferts Football - Actu Foot TransfertWesternJul 22, 09:07 PM UTC

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