Kante ‘wanted to play for Mali, not France’, reveals Vardy

N’Golo Kante originally intended to represent Mali rather than France at international level, according to former Leicester City team-mate Jamie Vardy.

Kante, who went on to lift the 2018 World Cup with France and become one of the mainstays of Les Bleus for a decade, was reportedly keen to honour his Malian heritage before being persuaded to choose the country of his birth.

In comments made on a podcast, Vardy said: “اراد نجولو كانتي تمثيل منتخب مالي، لا فرنسا، تكريما لجذور والده”.

He added: “منتخب فرنسا استدعاه قبل منتخب مالي، اقنعناه بانه سيفوز بكاس العالم مع فرنسا”.

France call-up changed Kante’s international future

Despite his later status as a cornerstone of the French national team, Kante had not represented either Mali or France at youth level.

His first serious international opportunity only arose after his standout performances in Leicester City’s extraordinary 2015-16 Premier League title-winning season, when the unfancied club – nicknamed the Foxes – stunned English and world football by clinching the league.

France handed Kante his debut in 2016. He made his first appearance in a friendly against the Netherlands in March that year, coming on in a 3-2 victory.

That call-up effectively ended any prospect of him joining Mali and set him on a path to becoming one of France’s most important players of his generation.

Mainstay of Les Bleus in Euros and World Cups

Following his debut, Kante quickly became integral to France’s midfield.

He featured at three European Championships – Euro 2016, Euro 2020 and Euro 2024 – and played at three consecutive World Cups in 2018, 2022 and 2026.

The highlight of his international career came in Russia in 2018, when France were crowned world champions. Kante’s tireless work in midfield was widely praised as a key factor in the team’s success.

Over the course of his international career, he has won 69 caps for France and scored two goals.

Omission from the pitch at 2026 World Cup

Despite being part of the squad for the 2026 World Cup, Kante did not play a single minute during France’s campaign.

France ultimately finished fourth in the tournament, missing out on a medal and falling short of their triumphs in 2018 and their runners-up finish in 2022.

The lack of playing time in 2026 marked a contrast with Kante’s earlier years, when he was regarded as virtually undroppable for club and country.

Club journey from Leicester to Fenerbahce

Kante currently plays for Turkish side Fenerbahce, following a career that has taken him across several major leagues.

Before moving to Turkey, he wore the colours of French club Caen, then Leicester City and Chelsea in the Premier League, followed by Saudi Arabian side Al-Ittihad.

His rise from relative obscurity in France’s lower divisions to Premier League champion, Champions League winner and World Cup winner has often been cited as one of modern football’s most remarkable success stories – one that, according to Vardy, could easily have been written in the colours of Mali rather than France.