William Saliba rates N’Golo Kante performance as France beat Austria at Euro 2024

Chris Davie

Published June 18, 2024 8:36am Updated June 18, 2024 8:37am

DUSSELDORF, GERMANY - JUNE 17: Ngolo Kante of France during the UEFA EURO 2024 group stage match between Austria and France at Dusseldorf Arena on June 17, 2024 in Dusseldorf, Germany.(Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images) — N’Golo Kante was instrumental at the heart of France’s midfield in their win against Austria (AMA/Getty)

William Saliba hailed N’Golo Kante after his impressive performance in France’s 1-0 victory over Austria at Euro 2024.

France secured a win in their Group D opener on Monday evening as Max Wober’s own goal seven minutes before half time was enough for Didier Deschamps’ side.

Kylian Mbappe missed an excellent one-on-one chance in the second half to double France’s lead before the Real Madrid forward was forced off in injury time with a broken nose.

Kante, meanwhile, delivered a sublime performance at the heart of France’s midfield and was named Man of the Match for his display, which was reminiscent of the ones he delivered at the 2018 World Cup when Les Bleus won the tournament.

Asked if he agreed that Kante had given a ‘monster’ performance after France’s win, Saliba said: ‘Yes, of course.

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DUSSELDORF, GERMANY - JUNE 17: N'Golo Kante of France poses for a photo with the Vivo Player of the Match award after the UEFA EURO 2024 group stage match between Austria and France at D??sseldorf Arena on June 17, 2024 in Dusseldorf, Germany. (Photo by Michael Regan - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images) — N’Golo Kante was named Man of the Match after France beat Austria (Getty)

‘He has impressed us all since the start of when we got together.

‘He is an incredible player and I hope he will maintain this level throughout the competition.’

Deschamps also described Kante’s performance as ‘brilliant’, while the former Chelsea midfielder ended the game as France’s captain after Mbappe was forced off.

‘You just have to look at what he did,’ Deschamps said of Kante.

‘I took him for that. From the moment I was certain that he had recovered all his athletic abilities… he has tactical intelligence, the ability to recover balls, to project himself.

‘Obviously he was brilliant today and so much the better because we needed that.

‘He wasn’t alone, he was very well supported by Adrien Rabiot who also had a big game and Antoine [Griezmann] who was a little more concerned with the midfield area. But ‘NG’, he is radiant, he shone.’

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