The French team closed their journey at the 2026 World Cup with a 4-6 defeat to England in the third-place match, thereby finishing the tournament in fourth place.
After the final whistle, images of midfielder N'Golo Kante smiling and actively hugging coach Didier Deschamps were quickly widely shared on social networks. Although the home team did not achieve the desired results, the 2018 World Cup champion still showed encouragement and solidarity with the coaching staff as well as his teammates.
Kante's action received many positive feedbacks from fans, in the context that he was not used for a single minute at the 2026 World Cup.
The 35-year-old midfielder continuously sat on the bench from the group stage to the knockout round. Coach Didier Deschamps prioritized the trio of midfielders Manu Kone, Warren Zaire-Emery and Adrien Rabiot throughout France's campaign.
Notably, Kante's absence from playing does not stem from injury problems. The former Chelsea midfielder is still fit enough, often on the registered squad list but only plays the role of backup.
In the third-place match against England, coach Deschamps continued not to give Kante a chance to play. Closing the 2026 World Cup, the midfielder born in 1991 is also likely to close his international playing career after many years of dedication to the French national team.
Kante debuted for the French national team in 2016, making a great contribution to helping "Les Bleus" win the 2018 World Cup and the 2021 UEFA Nations League. He is considered one of the best defensive midfielders in the world thanks to his persistent playing style, ball recovery ability and exemplary fighting spirit.
