Former Chelsea idol Claude Makelele has revealed his admiration for N'Golo Kante, while warning the current Blues enforcer has some way to go before he can reach his level.
Kante enjoyed a spectacular debut season at Stamford Bridge, starring in the Chelsea midfield as Antonio Conte's men waltzed to the Premier League title.
It was the Frenchman's second title in as many years, having also manned the engine room for Leicester City's unforgettable campaign in 2015-16.
According to Makelele, however, the real test of his mettle will come next season with Chelsea adding the Champions League to their calendar.
“At the moment Kante is special and one of the best midfielders," the ex-Blues and Real Madrid midfielder told reporters in Addis Ababa.
“The problem is, I played 25 years in football at this level and comparisons are being made in a bad way.
“This season he did not play in the Champions League. Every four days there will be games.
“With the national team there will be games. There will be a lot of games. He needs to get that experience.
“When he is at that level, he will not run 90 minutes all the time. He will need to listen to the rhythm, the way he plays. This will be key for him. I hope this will be the situation. I hope he does better than I did in my career.”