N'Golo Kante is everybody's favourite footballer and there's plenty of stories to prove it.
One such tale about the midfielder, whose smile will now light up the Saudi Arabia league following his Chelsea exit, involves his time at French side Caen.
Kante played for the club between 2013 and 2015 and former teammate Felipe Saad, in 2021, told a story that epitomised his humbleness.
The 32-year-old is renowned for his down-to-earth personality and that was made clear as Saad recalled what Kante did when he invited him to a birthday party.
Speaking to Brazilian outlet Uol Sport, Saad said: "I invited Kante to my birthday, it was a small party.
"Suddenly, he arrived at the restaurant with a box of chocolates, all ashamed.
"He apologised for the gift and said he didn’t know what to get because he had never been invited to a birthday party before."
Kante's humble nature shouldn't detract from the stellar career that he's had in the game.
After playing his part in helping Leicester to a miracle Premier League title in 2016, he joined Chelsea where he has won the Premier League, the FA Cup, the Champions League, the Europa League, the UEFA Super Cup and the Club World Cup.
He's also won the World Cup with France in 2018, as well as getting a runners' up medal at the Euros in 2016.
Most read in Football
In Saudi Arabia, where he will play with Karim Benzema at Al Ittihad, it is estimated he will earn £85.5m, plus image and commercial rights over the course of his four-year deal.
And he's not the only Chelsea player to test the waters in the Middle East, with Karim Ziyech, Edouard Mendy and Kalidou Koulibaly all rumoured to be heading there.
ncG1vNJzZmiskaG4tLzOq6tnm5%2BifKe7zq2ZmqScZH50hZdrb3Bnnpy8rbuMpJinrJVisKmxy6ycmmWSnr%2B1tMOasGaokafBuns%3D