“He can sleep for hours and hours” – Thomas Tuchel reveals Chelsea star's key to success

Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel has heaped praise onto N'Golo Kante, emphasizing how important the Frenchman is to the Blues.

Speaking to Chelsea's official website, Tuchel was asked about Kante and his performances so far under the German. He explained:

"When I say he switches on, on the pitch, he is really the guy to switch off, off the pitch. He can be so calm, be almost shy, play his rounds of chess, he can sleep for hours and hours and hours, and take his rests. So he plays hard but he rests really hard, and this is maybe the key to his success. He’s totally humble, and totally calm and a nice guy to have. Once he is in top shape, not injured and mentally in the space where he trusts himself physically, then he has such a huge impact."

"He’s like one-and-a-half players, like an extra half player minimum. We have the feeling we have two N’Golos, one in offence and one in defence. He’s helping everybody off the pitch and don’t forget he gives a lot of confidence to everybody around him and lifts everybody up. So, what can I say? I’m happy, and very lucky that he’s in our squad."

Kante has been an integral part of Chelsea's squad since joining the club in 2016, making a total of 234 appearances so far. The Frenchman has been a stalwart in the Blues' midfield under every manager he has played for. The midfielder has won the 2016-17 Premier League title, 2018-19 Europa League, and the 2019-20 UEFA Champions League with Chelsea.

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"It’s just being grateful for my journey" - Kante on his Chelsea career so far

Kante in action for Chelsea

N'Golo Kante also spoke to the club's official website about his career journey up until he joined Chelsea. He also shed light on the hardships he faced while growing up. He explained:

"It’s not necessarily staying humble. To get here, to join Chelsea, to join the French team, was a long journey with a lot of setbacks. From a young age, training centres didn’t accept me, and I failed numerous times at my attempts to join professional teams. It’s just being grateful for my journey; remembering all the people I have met, and who also wanted this career, to make a living out of football. I succeeded, and it’s about enjoying it all. It’s knowing how far I’ve come and enjoying it all, and going as far as I can while I can."

"One thing I’ve been told here is that once you arrive at Chelsea, the main objective is to win titles. In fact we have that in mind from the beginning of the season, we work for it all season long, and it keeps us motivated. Every time we train, every time we play, our focus is winning. If things can be as good as they have been in the last few years, it would be great for me and for all the Chelsea fans."

Kante has already made 16 appearances for Chelsea this season and is a vital cog in Thomas Tuchel's wheel as they look to replicate last season's success.