‘It’s a pleasure to play with Paul’: N’Golo Kante hails Manchester United star Pogba after the pair continued their unbeaten run together for France during Nations League victory over Portugal
- France edged to a 1-0 win against Portugal in the Nations League on Saturday
- N’Golo Kante and Paul Pogba are undefeated in games they’ve both featured in
- The pair have not lost in 26 games for France including a remarkable 20 wins
- The Chelsea midfielder scored the winner against Cristiano Ronaldo and Co
- The French play Sweden in their final Nations League group game on Tuesday
France midfielder N’Golo Kante has revealed his delight at playing alongside Paul Pogba again after Les Bleus win over Portugal.
Kante scored the winning goal on Saturday as the French sealed their place in the Nations League finals with a 1-0 victory against Cristiano Ronaldo and Co.
The victory ensured his astonishing unbeaten record while playing alongside Pogba continued, a run which includes 20 wins and six draws.
N’Golo Kante (left) scored the winner for the French as they beat Portugal 1-0 on Saturday
Pogba and Kante both started the 2018 World Cup final and have not lost together in 26 games
Pogba has come under massive scrutiny for his performances for Manchester United, but his international teammate revels playing alongside him.
‘He’s been injured for a while and it had been a while since we had played together,’ Kante told TF1 show Telefoot.
‘We remember the World Cup that we played together. It’s a pleasure to play with Paul.
‘On the pitch, we felt great. I’m satisfied with the performance and the performance of the team. We were at the level we needed to be at.
‘There’s a lot expected of us. We’re the world champion and the European Championship will be another challenge, but it’s certain that we’re a great team.’
The 29-year-old has targeted Champions League qualification for Chelsea this season
In terms of club football Kante has set his sights on a top four finish for Chelsea this season.
‘The Chelsea team has changed in recent years,’ he said. ‘We’ve recruited not a bad number of players and we are going to try and win some titles. We want to qualify as quickly as we possibly can for the next Champions League.’
The Blues are currently fifth in the Premier League after winning four and losing one of their opening eight fixtures, they are three points behind leaders Leicester City.
Next up for Frank Lampard’s side is a lunchtime trip to Newcastle on November 21.
Before a return to domestic matters Kante could be involved in France’s Nations League match against Sweden on Tuesday, the French have already secured top spot in the group meaning manager Didier Deschamps may opt to rotate his squad.