Part of the France team until his injury before the World Cup in Qatar, N’Golo Kanté has chosen to join Saudi Arabia. What put his future in the France team in question? Didier Deschamps doesn’t think so…
Karim Benzema led the way. This summer was marked by the exodus of many football stars to Saudi Arabia, which has become a veritable Eldorado for footballers. Among them, N’Golo Kanté, who ultimately rejected Chelsea’s extension offer or Barça’s advances to join KB9 at Al-Ittihad. This departure in the Saudi championship inevitably casts a veil over his future in the France team.
Part of the midfield of the Blues, the former Caennais had to give up on the World Cup in Qatar. Since then, in the wake of Adrien Rabiot, who has taken on a new dimension in the France team, Aurélien Tchouameni and Eduardo Camavinga have taken over. However, Didier Deschamps does not want to bury N’Golo Kanté.
“N’Golo Kanté remains selectable. He needs to play regularly, which he does. Afterwards, there is another reflection; we are talking about N’Golo Kanté, he is a reference through his experience with us, he confided in the columns of The Team. The reflection, it is double because, during his absence, there are younger players (Aurélien Tchouaméni, Eduardo Camavinga…) who took over and who took it well. And so there is the possibility of giving them time to progress. »
It will become more competitive
“It will become more competitive, given the players and coaches who come, he added about the level of the Saudi championship. It’s starting to be televised. Obviously, we follow the matches. I won’t hide from you that when it’s 45 degrees, the first half hour is fine, but afterwards, in terms of rhythm, it’s more difficult. It’s not yet Champions League level, but it’s still a good level because of the players present. »
And the Bayonnais to continue by indicating that competing in the Champions League was not necessarily a prerequisite for being selected for the France team. “It’s like when they say that I only take players who play in big foreign clubs, not when they are in France. The only thing I said is that playing the Champions League regularly brings you closer to the requirements of the international level, he claimed. But the most important thing is to be used to high demands. What is the reality and the daily life of these clubs. If they can get it in France, that’s great.”
