Former Super Eagles captain and coach Sunday Oliseh believes N’Golo Kante’s return makes France the top contender for the 2024 European Championships, Soccernet.ng reports.
Kante, 33, has been out of the European spotlight since moving from Chelsea to Saudi Arabia last year. However, he made a strong comeback to tournament football on Monday.
Kante started in midfield with Juventus’ Adrien Rabiot and played a crucial role in France’s successful start to the tournament, courtesy of a hard-fought 1-0 win over Austria.
The two-time Premier League and Champions League winner was pivotal, breaking up play, moving the ball forward, and dribbling skillfully.
Kante was one of six outfield players to play the full 90 minutes, with coach Didier Deschamps using all five substitutions. Kante’s ability to turn defence into attack earned him the player of the match title.
After the encounter, Sunday Oliseh praised Kante’s performance, highlighting his importance to France’s Euro 2024 campaign.
Despite Kylian Mbappe’s key contribution to the narrow victory, Oliseh believes Kante is the key player for France. He referred to Kante as a “gigantic alien” and said his presence makes France the favourite to win the tournament.
“The ‘Gigantic Alien of Football’ is back! It was a pleasure to watch one of my favorite defensive midfielders, N’Golo Kante, back in international football for France. I now feel France is a real favorite to win the Euros,” Oliseh tweeted.
In addition to France, hosts Germany, Cristiano Ronaldo-inspired Portugal, a young but talented England, and three-time winners Spain are also considered strong contenders for the Euro 2024 title.