Kante hails Paul Pogba after Nations League win over Portugal

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.

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.’

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