How N'Golo Kante became the great footballer he is today

Chelsea midfielder N'Golo Kante grew up in Surenses, in the suburbs of Paris, France

Former youth teammates say Kante was the most quiet person off the pitch

Legend has it that Kante would play a football match after running a marathon.

Kante told former teammates he never saw himself playing in the Europa League

The Frenchman helped unfancied Leicester City to the Premier League title last season

He is on the verge of winning consecutive Premier league titles with different teams

He currently plays for Chelsea and is considered to be the best player in the league this season but just six years ago, Kante was playing in the ninth team of France’s football pyramid.

Kante is known for his hard tackling and his ball winning skills like his spiritual predecessors Lassana Diarra and Claude Makelele.

His former teammates at Boulogne describe a shy man off the pitch but a monster on it.

Cedric Fabien told the Sun: “Off the field he was quiet but on the pitch he turned into a monster.

“I’ve never seen in my life someone run, run and run like he did.

“He was so naturally fit he could have finished a match and then gone home and done a marathon… and then probably have a kickabout with his friends!”

Before joining Boulogne, the Frenchman who grew up in Surenses in Paris was playing as an amateur in the NINTH tier of French football.

After joining third-tier Boulogne, the ever humble midfielder used a child’s scooter to ride to training every day.

Kante was so humble he would tell his teammates and friends that he never saw himself playing in the Europa League let alone for France in the European Championship.

Former team-mate Adil Azami remembered: “We used to get about 50 extra people on top of all the players’ mums and dads just to watch him.

“It was N’Golo and N’Golo. He would take the ball from one end of the pitch and would carry it the length of the field.”

Another of his old pals, Francois Lemoine, added: “We were Under-18s and he was Under-15s and he was already playing with us.

“We were playing against a local team and he came on ten minutes from the end.

“He was smaller than everyone yet no one could get past him."

Another of his old pals, Francois Lemoine, added: “We were Under-18s and he was Under-15s and he was already playing with us.

“We were playing against a local team and he came on ten minutes from the end.

“He was smaller than everyone yet no one could get past him."