Former Chelsea duo Olivier Giroud and N’Golo Kante both won the World Cup together with France eight years ago.
Kante is now eyeing his second World Cup trophy as France prepare to take on Senegal on Tuesday night.
However, had it not been for one conversation that the midfielder had with Giroud when they were both still at Chelsea, he may not have been at this year’s tournament.
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Olivier Giroud's European record at Chelsea
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Despite being just 27 at the time, Kante wanted to retire from international football following France’s World Cup triumph in 2018. That is what the now 35-year-old told Giroud once they had returned to Chelsea.
Giroud was not having any of it, though! Feeling that his teammate was too young to retire and still had so much to offer, he convinced him not to.
Speaking in a column for BBC Sport, Giroud said: “When we were both back at Chelsea after we had won the World Cup together with France in 2018, N’Golo Kante said to me, ‘Oli, I think I am going to retire from the national team.’
“I told him, ‘No NG, look, you are top of the world. I can understand why you are saying this, but you need to carry on. You are too young to stop.'”
Olivier Giroud of France and N'Golo Kante of France
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Giroud and Kante also enjoyed plenty of success together at club level. In 2021, they won the Champions League with Chelsea.
Two years before that, the French duo helped the Blues to beat Arsenal 4-1 in the Europa League final, with Giroud scoring twice against his former club. In 2018, the year Giroud and Kante won the World Cup, they also managed to get their hands on the FA Cup trophy.
Giroud was jokingly asked to come back to Chelsea by one supporter last week. In response, he replied: “Once a Blue, always a Blue.”
N’Golo Kante’s France record
Kante has appeared at multiple major tournaments for France, including the previous three European Championships.
France did not win any of them, losing the 2016 final to Portugal. But that is behind them now as they look to claim their third World Cup.
In total, Kante has won 69 caps and scored two goals for Les Bleus. He has undoubtedly had a successful career with his national team.
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