At that stage in his career the midfielder was in the second XI side at Boulogne, contesting the sixth tier of French league football. He was though on the cusp of a major move forward in both the level of competition and his inner belief at what he was capable of achieving.

Born in Paris and like so many hooked on football by playing in the streets with his brothers and friends as well as playing at school, Kante joined local amateur club Suresnes in a suburb of the French capital just across the River Seine from the Bois de Boulogne, and not far from the Parc des Princes, the home of Paris St-Germain. He says he took an interest in the city’s major team but not enough to attend games. Instead it was playing the sport that was his main passion.

‘I started football at the age of 10,’ Kante tells the official Chelsea website. ‘In Paris a lot of people play football and there are some I knew who are footballers now, but not at the professional level.

‘At Suresnes I learned a lot. I had good coaching at this club and it was like playing with friends.’