N’Golo Kante wanted to play for Mali before France World Cup triumph – Jamie Vardy

Former Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy has revealed that N’Golo Kanté was originally determined to represent Mali at international level before eventually choosing France—a decision that ultimately led to World Cup glory.

Vardy shared the fascinating insight into Kanté’s international dilemma, explaining that the midfield maestro initially wanted to honour his family’s roots by playing for Mali, the country of his father’s birth.

According to the former England international, Kanté had little interest in representing France when the opportunity first arose, despite being eligible for the 2018 FIFA World Cup winners through his birth in Paris.

The revelation offers a rare glimpse into one of the biggest international decisions in modern football, with Kanté eventually becoming one of the key figures in France’s golden generation.

Speaking about the midfielder’s decision, Vardy recalled how Leicester City’s players tried to convince Kanté to reconsider his stance and accept France’s invitation.

“Originally, he did not want to play for France. He wanted to represent Mali for his dad,” Vardy said.

“At the training ground we said to him, ‘What the f**k, what are you thinking? France will win the World Cup! Go join France!’”

The Leicester dressing room’s advice would ultimately prove prophetic.

Kanté accepted the call-up from France and went on to become one of the most influential midfielders in world football, playing a pivotal role in Les Bleus’ triumphant 2018 FIFA World Cup campaign in Russia.

His tireless work rate, exceptional ball-winning ability and humble personality made him one of the tournament’s standout performers as France lifted football’s biggest prize for the second time in their history.

Kanté’s journey with the French national team has since included numerous major international tournaments, with the midfielder cementing his status as one of the finest defensive midfielders of his generation.

However, Vardy’s comments reveal that the story could have unfolded very differently had Kanté followed his original intention.

Representing Mali would have been an emotional decision for the midfielder, who has always spoken proudly about his family’s heritage. His parents were of Malian descent, and the West African nation had hoped to secure one of the game’s brightest talents before France stepped in.

Instead, the midfielder opted to represent the country of his birth, a choice that brought unprecedented success on the international stage and saw him become a global football icon.

Vardy’s revelation also highlights the close friendship that developed between the pair during Leicester City’s remarkable Premier League title-winning campaign in the 2015/16 season.

The duo played instrumental roles in one of the greatest underdog stories in football history, with Kanté’s extraordinary performances in midfield helping Leicester secure their first-ever English top-flight title before he later moved to Chelsea.

While Kanté’s decision to represent France proved to be one of the defining moments of his international career, Vardy’s comments serve as a reminder that the decorated midfielder once came remarkably close to wearing the colours of Mali instead.

Had he chosen differently, both Mali’s football history and France’s World Cup-winning story might have taken a very different path.