Kante’s man of the match performance was instrumental as Chelsea won the Champions League for the second time   

 By James Benge

It is curious that N’Golo Kante should be so loath to see the spotlight fall on him. After all, everything he does involves wrestling attention back in his direction.

The hero of Leicester City’s impossible title triumph, France’s elevation to the best footballing nation on the earth, now he has a Champions League final to add to his resume of excellence. He may never have played better. This was the full repertoire of Kante, driving Chelsea forward on the counter one minute and whipping the ball of Riyad Mahrez in a dangerous spot moments later.

The numbers are outstanding. A game-leading 10 ball recoveries, 100 percent tackle success, a chance created and a simply ludicrous 57 percent success rate in aerial duels for the 5 foot 5 inch midfielder, dubbed too small by scouts in his homeland as he drifted down to the third tier of French football at the start of his career. And yet his statistics alone do not do justice to how Kante dictates a game even without the ball at his feet.

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