It’s not easy to make a comparison between N’Golo Kante and Claude Makelele. They’re a pair of five-foot-six defensive midfielders from France who have played the position better than almost anyone in a Chelsea shirt. Makelele effectively created the position of the modern defensive midfielder and N’Golo Kante is in the process of building upon it. He’s certainly not there yet but Kante is on course to become one of the best players in Chelsea’s history.
From Humble Beginnings
N’Golo Kante was a player who effectively appeared out of nowhere at Leicester City. Signed from Ligue 1 side Caen in 2015, the Frenchman cost less than £6 million and quickly established himself in the centre of midfield. The 26-year-old became a key player in a Leicester side which simply didn’t stop winning – all the way to the title – and while many praised Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez for their enormous efforts, Kante was the key man.
“The referee counted 11 [players for us] but we were 12,” said manager Claudio Ranieri after a match last season and it’s very true. A two-man midfield with N’Golo Kante had the work rate of three which allowed Leicester to have two strikers whilst also winning the battle in the middle. Kante lifted the Premier League title last May but it soon became clear that the Foxes could not keep hold of all of their prized assets. Mahrez and Vardy remained but Kante left for Chelsea in a £32 million deal.
Makelele won it all, but is a double on the cards for N’golo?
The comparisons to Claude Makelele were in full effect when Kante was first pictured in a Chelsea shirt. Makelele himself signed for the Blues way back in 2003 and, despite being 30 years old, lifted the team to unprecedented success. The Frenchman played almost every single minute of Jose Mourinho’s two title-winning seasons before Makelele left the club to return to France in 2008.
In all, he spent five incredibly successful seasons with Chelsea, winning two league titles, two league cups and one FA Cup. He even played in the Champions League final in 2008 which Chelsea lost to Manchester United.
Although not really appreciated during his playing days, Makelele has since become the go-to example for defensive midfield greatness. He was tireless, a biting tackler and was always on hand to help out his defence. Kante possesses these same attributes and both were able to turn a Chelsea team into winners. Makelele helped win the Blues’ first title in 50 years while Kante has been crucial in turning the disorganised mess at Stamford Bridge last season into a dynamic, exciting Blues side which is on the brink of clinching the title.
With Kante also set to appear in his first ever FA Cup final against Arsenal in the coming weeks (a side that also once showed interest in him), it’s fair to say that the Paris-born midfielder’s trophy cabinet could be pretty plush come the 27th May.
In a game in which his Chelsea side as of 08th May, are being made 8/13 favourites to lift the trophy (source: Betway), Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger will likely earmark Kante’s involvement in the game (or should we say, lack of it) as the key to his side’s success. Hoisted in the centre of the park by his partner-in-crime Nemanja Matic, one doubts that the Arsenal midfield will get an easy ride regardless of the outcome at Wembley this month.
Despite their obvious similarities, Claude Makelele and N’Golo Kante are drastically different players. Kante at Chelsea has transformed from a purely-defensive midfielder to something of a deep-lying playmaker. Kante picks up the ball and passes a lot, even getting on the end of some attacking chances at the other end. His midfield partnership with Nemanja Matic would be slightly too defensive if Kante wasn’t on hand to make the occasional burst forward.
Makelele, by contrast, was a far more static player. His positional awareness was better than Kante’s is right now and he relied more on his footballing intelligence than an unquenchable work rate. Makelele himself was asked about Kante and gave an interesting answer about what he thought the current Blues midfielder is missing from his game.
‘There’s still some way to go,’ says Claude himself
“He still needs that leadership,” Makelele claimed. “That doesn’t mean be a captain, but to have an aura within the team.
There will always be comparisons between N’Golo Kante and Claude Makelele, the pair is just too similar for anything else to happen. In many ways that are justified but there are also many glaring differences between the two players. Kante is, in some ways, a more rounded player but Makelele is right to suggest that the 26-year-old lacks the aura he once possessed. Also missing from Kante’s career is the incredible array of silverware which Makelele had. The former Real Madrid man won the Champions League in 2002 as well as league titles in three different countries. He’s a greater player than Kante in that regard but if the 26-year-old keeps performing and improving at the rate is then he’ll surpass the great Frenchman.