N’Golo Kante: Chelsea star almost became a rugby player and is still driving Mini to training despite £30m summer move
Midfielder remains as modest as ever but could have been starring in a completely different sport after being spotted by rugby scout
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N’GOLO KANTE admits he almost became a rugby player before taking up football.
The Chelsea star has been sensational following a £30million move from champions Leicester.
Kante has slotted seamlessly into Antonio Conte’s 3-4-3 formation and has been credited as the driving force behind Chelsea’s 11-match winning run.
Leicester’s struggles in the league this season are further testament to Kante’s importance, but things could have turned out very differently after the Frenchman revealed he was tipped for a career in rugby when he was still in school.
Kante told the : “When I began school we started swimming, rugby, football, athletics and basketball.
“We did rugby, I tried to tackle the man and my teacher said, ‘When you were at the tournament the scout from the club said you have good spirit, good condition, maybe you can play rugby’.
“In the end the teacher said to my family, ‘Maybe it would be good for N’Golo to do some sport” and my choice was to play football.”
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Modest Kante has not let his Stamford Bridge move go to his head, and continues to turn up to training in a less-than-glamorous Mini.
He added: “I’ve never been someone who loves a car. My Mini, for the beginning, was good to learn to drive on the left. I got it in Leicester and I still have it now.”