N’Golo Kante, a former Chelsea star and current Al Ittihad player, has completed the purchase of Royal Excelsior Virton, a third-tier Belgian football team. Flavio Becca, the club’s former owner, chose to sell his stake, making room for the legendary French midfielder.

A New Era for Royal Excelsior Virton

N’Golo Kante’s signing is regarded as a new era for the Belgian club, owing to his football prowess and humanitarian qualities. Kante, who takes over as manager on July 1, plans to reorganise and strengthen the club’s basis. Virton, which was recently relegated from the Challenger Pro League’s second level, intends to rebuild its reputation, stabilise its workforce, and reconnect with the tradition of its Youth Academy under Kante’s leadership. The club’s goal is to reassert its local origins and become a major force in the football scene of Gaume and the province of Luxembourg.

Football Stars Turn Club Owners

Kante’s purchase of Virton is the latest example of a football celebrity investing in a team. Crystal Palace forward Wilfried Zaha and rapper Stormzy made news earlier this week when they purchased AFC Croydon Athletic, a ninth-tier English football team. Since David Beckham, the great player, became the owner of the MLS team Inter Miami, this practice of celebrity ownership has grown in favour.

Expectations from Kante’s Stewardship

The Belgium club, which is now debt-free and due to compete in the Belgian National Division 1 in 2023-24, is expecting a new board of directors to be created under Kante’s leadership. The financial arrangement between Kante and Virton has not been disclosed.

In his football career, Kante, 32, has proven his mettle, playing an instrumental role in Leicester City’s Premier League triumph in the 2015-16 season before moving to Chelsea. With Chelsea, he won the Champions League, Premier League, Europa League, and FA Cup, as well as playing a crucial role in France’s World Cup success in 2018.

The football community will be watching attentively to see if Kante’s golden touch extends from the pitch to football management. Despite the difficulties, supporters believe that Kante’s leadership will usher in a period of growth and success for Royal Excelsior Virton.