Jamie Vardy has revealed that N'Golo Kante once expressed a desire to represent Mali in international football to pay tribute to his father’s roots. The two players were teammates at Leicester City, where they secured the Premier League title together in 2016.
During their time at the club, Vardy and other Leicester teammates encouraged Kante to commit to the France national team instead. They argued that he possessed the quality required to win a World Cup with the French squad.
Kante ultimately chose to represent France, earning 69 caps and scoring two goals for the nation. His international career includes winning the 2018 World Cup and the 2021 Nations League.