Kante ‘wanted to play for Mali’ before France World Cup glory, reveals Vardy

N’Golo Kante, one of the pillars of France’s modern golden generation, originally wanted to represent Mali rather than Les Bleus, former team-mate Jamie Vardy has revealed.

The Fenerbahce midfielder has enjoyed a stellar international career with France over nearly a decade, helping his country reach the Euro 2016 final and win the 2018 World Cup, while also lifting the UEFA Nations League in 2021.

Yet, according to Vardy, Kante’s international story could have taken a radically different turn.

‘He wanted to honour his father’s roots’

Vardy, who played alongside Kante in Leicester City’s astonishing 2015-16 Premier League title triumph, said the midfielder’s first instinct was to choose Mali, the country of his father.

Quoting comments carried by French outlet Foot Mercato, Vardy said: “كان نجولو كانتي يرغب في تمثيل مالي، وليس فرنسا، تكريما لجذور والده”. (“N’Golo Kante wanted to represent Mali, not France, in honour of his father’s roots.”)

The Leicester striker suggested that team-mates helped persuade Kante that his future lay with France.

وتابع: “اقنعناه بانه سيفوز بكاس العالم مع فرنسا. لقد اهدى سيارته الميني كوبر لوالديه في القرية واشترى واحدة اخرى عندما سخر منه زملاوه”. (“We convinced him that he would win the World Cup with France. He gifted his Mini Cooper to his parents in the village and bought another one when his team-mates mocked him.”)

A defining figure for France

Kante, now 35, went on to become one of France’s most influential players of his generation.

Since making his debut for the national team, he has earned 69 caps, scoring twice and collecting two major trophies: the 2018 World Cup in Russia and the 2021 UEFA Nations League.

The midfielder was a mainstay for France for close to ten years, renowned for his tireless work rate, interceptions and ball-winning ability at the heart of midfield. His performances were crucial as France reached the Euro 2016 final on home soil, where they were beaten by Portugal in extra time.

He later played a pivotal role two years later as Didier Deschamps’ side lifted the World Cup, defeating Croatia 4-2 in the final in Moscow.

World Cup call-up even after peak years

Kante’s influence has been such that he was even recalled to the France squad for the 2026 World Cup, despite moving away from Europe’s top five leagues in the latter stages of his club career.

That faith underlined how highly he is regarded within the France set-up, where his quiet demeanour off the pitch contrasts with his relentless intensity on it.

His international honours crown a remarkable journey that took him from French lower divisions to Leicester’s improbable Premier League title, then to Champions League success with Chelsea, and on to a lucrative move to Saudi Arabia before joining Fenerbahce.

The decision that shaped two national teams

Vardy’s revelation highlights how close Mali came to gaining a world-class midfield anchor – and how France’s recent history might have looked different without Kante’s presence.

Had he followed his initial desire to play for Mali, the West African nation would have secured a player capable of transforming their midfield, while France might have been forced to build their team around a different profile.

Instead, after what Vardy describes as dressing-room persuasion at Leicester, Kante chose France and went on to fulfil the prediction his team-mates made: he became a World Cup winner, and a symbol of quiet excellence at the heart of Les Bleus.