In 2013, he joined Ligue 2 side Caen, where he appeared in all 38 games as the club finished third in the league, winning promotion to Ligue 1. On 9 August, in his second encounter, he equalized with his first goal of the season in a 2â1 victory over Laval;[14] on 11 April 2014, in a 3â2 victory over Istres, he equalized once again with his second goal of the campaign. [15] Kant played 37 games the next season as Caen stayed in the top division; his only absence was due to suspension after his red card in a 0â1 home defeat to Rennes on 30 August. [16] Three weeks previously, he scored their season-opening goal in a 3â0 victory against Evian. [17] He retrieved the ball more times than any other player in Europe this season. [9]
He was named PFA Player of the Year and FWA Footballer of the Year in 2017, becoming the first outfield player to win back-to-back English League championships while playing for separate clubs. In 2015, he was selected to the PFA Team of the Year. He led the Premier League tackles chart with a massive 175 tackles at the conclusion of the 2015-2016 season. In 2016, L'quipe ranked him as the world's sixth greatest player. In 2007, he was nominated for the Ballon d'Or.
In September, Kante was selected to the FIFA FIFPro World XI, a recognition of his accomplishments for club and country, and in November, it was reported that he has committed his long-term future to Chelsea by signing a new five-year deal.
Early in December, the Frenchman started the scoring in a massive win over Manchester City, and later that month, he scored the lone goal of the game in a 1-0 victory against Crystal Palace.
Luka Modric, the 2018 champion, was also more of a playmaker. However, if he won it at the 2018 World Cup – he coached Croatia to the final, where they were defeated by Les Bleus – and won his fourth Champions League trophy with Real Madrid – there is no reason why Kante would not win it again this year if France do well at the Euros. Other comparables to Kante include Franz Beckenbauer and Mathias Sammer, both of whom played as a "No. 6" at periods throughout their careers but won the Ballon d'Or after strong seasons as converted center-backs. As much as Kante would want to win the world's most coveted individual prize, he would probably despise it as well. He seems to avoid everything that puts him in the spotlight.
