Champions League final performance: For many years, N’Golo Kante has been considered as one of the finest midfielders in the world, and his boundless energy appears to be ageless.
Kante turn 31yrs today, yet he shows no signs of slowing down.
Despite a lot of injuries in recent years, the midfielder always appears to bounce back stronger and more motivated than before.
For the Blues, Kante has had many memorable performances, but his Champions League-winning season in 2021 was without a doubt one of his greatest.
Between the round of 16 and the final, the 31-year-old won four Player of the Match accolades, including the award in both legs against Real Madrid in the semi-finals.
But it was in the Champions League final against Manchester City, the most crucial match of all, that Kante demonstrated his real value to the London club.
Chelsea won the Champions League title for the second time in club history, thanks to another Player of the Match-winning effort from the Frenchman.
Fans are applauding the midfielder once again after a compilation video of his farewell performance went viral on Twitter.
Champions League final performance video
When you look at the data behind his remarkable performance, it’s no surprise that Kante won the most duels (11) and had the most ball recoveries (10), but he also didn’t commit a single foul.
Kante’s prowess in aerial duels was one of the evening’s most incredible statistic. Despite his little stature, the French international won four aerial duels, more than any other Chelsea player.
The midfielder also completed the most passes under duress (11), demonstrating that he is the epitome of calm. When Pep Guardiola’s guys are hounding you, it’s not easy.
“No changes at the interval and few opportunities so far this half – Kante has been everywhere all game, if we can avoid him we could be in business!” Manchester City’s Twitter account reacted on Kante’s performance throughout the match, tweeting: “If we can bypass him we might be in business!”
Unfortunately for Chelsea’s opponents, Kante’s presence on the pitch is a recurring motif in the bulk of his appearances.
In the past, Thomas Tuchel has said that having Kante on your squad is like having two players in one.
When you see some of Kante’s lung-busting performances for the Blues, especially during this run of Champions League games, it’s difficult to disagree with the German.
Was this N’Golo Kante’s finest Chelsea performance? You’d have a hard time finding a better one, we believe.
