If FIFA gave out an award each year for the least-hated player, then N’Golo Kanté would win every year. The Al-Ittihad midfielder simply has no haters due to how humble he is. With the man being so loved worldwide, it makes the Kanté birthday story even sadder.
Felipe Saad, one of Kanté’s former teammates on Ligue 2 side Caen, told Brazilian outlet Uol Sport a heart-tugging story about one of his interactions with the Frenchman.
Saad explained how he had a good relationship with Kanté and took the quiet player under his wing. He then went on to tell the time he invited Kanté to his birthday get-together.
"In September, I called him for my birthday. The party was small, there were only two or three more players, and it was in an English restaurant,” Saad said. "Suddenly, he arrived at the restaurant with a box of chocolates, all ashamed.
“He apologized for the gift and said he didn’t know what to get because he had never been invited to a birthday party before.”
Kanté had never been invited to a birthday party before.
When the Frenchman was with Caen he was only 22. At the age of 22, poor Kanté had never been invited to a birthday party before.
The N'Golo Kante birthday story has me feeling some kind of way :( pic.twitter.com/DnLSncMN0d
— I Love Shakhtar Donetsk (@buffafalos) June 2, 2021
Sometimes it’s the humblest and most loved people who might feel alone.
Sad Kanté means sadness for everyone. Allow me to spam happy Kanté videos and pictures to make us all feel better.
Now this put a smile on my face pic.twitter.com/5lVP5epbuc
— Tomas’ (@TommySW6) June 2, 2021
How can you not love @nglkante pic.twitter.com/NHwxm6yN4d
— CBS Sports Golazo (@CBSSportsGolazo) May 31, 2021
Love this clip.
Chelsea & France star N’Golo Kante is a fantastic footballer but an even better human @Jon_LeGossip @siphillipssport @lbertozzi pic.twitter.com/uwzEBQKsOe— Sacha Pisani (@Sachk0) June 2, 2021
This video lives rent free in my head.
Look how much N'Golo Kante's teammates respect him. And he's just there with the shy smile.What a guy! pic.twitter.com/YIJb3KuRHC
— Deji Faremi (@deejayfaremi) May 30, 2021
Wait for Kante
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) May 30, 2021
N'golo being loved and appreciated by the Chelsea players pic.twitter.com/LNJCqTJHXX
— CBS Sports Golazo (@CBSSportsGolazo) May 31, 2021
Much better.