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N'Golo Kante Discusses The Rejection That Spurred Him On To Glory

N'Golo Kante Discusses The Rejection That Spurred Him On To Glory

Kante has come from nowhere to be one of the best players in the Premier League.

Ryan Sidle

Ryan Sidle

N'Golo Kante is on the verge of doing something not many players have done before. The Frenchman could win back-to-back Premier League titles with different clubs but it wasn't always so easy for him.

Kante has only been in the Premier League for two seasons, in that time he helped turn a relegation candidate into Premier League champions when he was one of Leicester City's best players.

Kante
Kante

Kante has been even better this season than last. Image: PA Images

One year later and the central midfielder has once again massively improved a team, this time taking a side from mid table obscurity to the home stretch of recapturing the Premier League.

Once again Kante has been one of the best players, this time at Chelsea. But before his move to England the 26 year old was pretty much unknown after playing for Boulogne and Caen.

The Parisian has been talking about the rejection he faced before becoming a professional footballer:

"When I was young, between 13 to 18, I tried to get into professional academies like Rennes, Lorient, Sochaux maybe four or five different ones

"But it wasn't a success because they said things like "we have more players like you in our teams and we didn't need you.' So I kept working in my local team Suresnes, a little team in a suburb of Paris.

"I didn't get much explanation why they didn't take me in their teams but for me, the main reason was maybe just that I wasn't good enough. There were some players better than me or as good as me."

Leicester's struggles this season has proved just how important he was last season. Image: PA Images

Kante turned things around and ended up in Ligue 2 eventually and those humble beginnings clearly keep him humble as he played down his role in Leicester and Chelsea's impressive seasons:

"Last season we were champions with Leicester and at the moment we are top of the league with Chelsea. That's why people put it on me but it is not me. I have been in two good teams.

"I am not one of the best midfielders in the world or something like that. I play with some talented players like Cesc Fabregas, Nemanja Matic and Nathaniel Chalobah. They have different styles and I can learn from everyone."

Plenty would argue that he is one of the best midfielders in the world right now!

N'Golo Kante was speaking at Woodroffes Solicitors, London, after becoming an ambassador for Foundation Arthritis.

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