Joseph Kanté (Sabadell, 1990) was 25 years old when he found out through social networks that he was going to be called up by the Guinea senior team. “People started writing me on Instagram. Among them a cousin that I didn’t know was my cousin. He told me that the coach was going to call me. At first I thought: ‘What are you saying? I don’t even know who you are.’ I commented with some colleagues and they told me that it could be perfectly true. I was playing well in the Cyprus First Division. Two days later Kaba Diawara called me, who was in the coaching staff and is now the coach, “recalls Kanté days before. of which will be his second Cup Africa. “My father emigrated to Spain when he was only 13 years old and he never told us much about Guinea. Although we knew we had Guinean blood, both my brothers and I grew up being 100% Spanish,” adds a player whose call from Diawara changed his life: “I didn’t expect it. I had never been to Africa and being able to discover the country where my father was born and playing for the national team is incredible. Playing with Guinea is the best football has given me“.
Since his debut in November 2016, José Kanté has played 21 games for the Guinea national team, which will go to Cameroon – home of the Africa Cup – with the aim of breaking the ceiling of a quarter-final that he has never exceeded. “If we are lucky in the qualifying rounds we can reach the semifinals perfectly. The country would appreciate it. It would make them very happy because Guinea has never had great results at the international level,” discovers a footballer who arrives at the continental event after scoring 17 goals and giving eight assists in 2021 with FC Kairat of Kazakhstan. “I hope to play a great role. Personally, 2021 has gone very well for me and I am very motivated.” Although COVID-19 is beginning to take its toll on some of the 24 participating teams, Kanté is confident that the Africa Cup will go ahead. It will be the moment to go back to enjoy on the pitch with top-level footballers such as Near Keita, Liverpool midfielder, or Ilaix Moriba, to whom he predicts a promising future: “He looks good. I have been training with him for four days and it has been enough to realize that he is a great player. It is true that he is playing little at Leipzig, but he has a lot of personality, a lot of quality and unbeatable physical conditions “.
José Kanté has played in Spain, Cyprus, Poland and Kazakhstan; and it’s been six years since his debut with Guinea. However, there is no FIFA date in which it does not add a new anecdote to its logbook: “When you arrive from European teams where everything is very well organized, everything seems very strange to you in Africa. Nothing happens here if the meeting does not start at the scheduled time or if someone’s mobile rings in the middle of a chat. They are all childhood friends and when they arrive at the national team they relax. They live it all in a totally different way. More cheerful and calm. “And perhaps that is one of the reasons why Guinea is not among the favorites to win the Africa Cup.” We are a great team. I see the call and think: ‘Damn, I don’t understand how we don’t get great results.’ Not only in the Africa Cup, but in qualifying for the World Cup. There is a lot of quality and very good players, but it all depends on the commitment we have, “adds a Kanté who I would bet on Algeria, Senegal or Morocco: “For me, they are the three great favorites”.
“I want to retire”
In their last friendly before traveling to Cameroon, Guinea defeated Rwanda 0-2 with an assist from José Kanté, who, despite having just turned 31, already sees retirement coming. “I have a son in Spain and I want to finish. My career is getting long. When I signed in Kazakhstan, the idea was to make a couple of good years and retire, “discovers the Sabadell, who faced 2021” with the intention of being more relaxed and taking football in a different way. “And it worked. Between club and national team, Kanté closed the year with 19 goals and nine assists. “Physically I’m fine. I kill myself every game and it might be too early to quit, but I won’t change my mind. I don’t know how I’m going to be at Vagner Love’s age – he shared a dressing room with the 37-year-old Brazilian in Kairat – but with a sure belly, “he insists, smiling and aware that his last blows as a professional footballer will not take place in Kazakhstan:” I have one more year on my contract, but they have told us that they have an idea of changing practically the entire staff and they have warned that whoever wants to stay will have to lower their salary. I am very happy in Almaty, but if he emerges I will change teams. “That will be after an Africa Cup in which he will meet Malawi, Senegal and Zimbabwe in the first round. “I arrive fine, so some sweetie will surely fall”, sentence.