Ahly’s coach Pitso Mosimane praised the behaviour of the French international star, who was born in Paris to Malian parents, saying it is “humility at its best.”
“I was amazed by Kante asking me if I could get Dieng to meet him. Humility at its best. God Bless Kante,” Mosimane wrote on his twitter account early on Sunday.
The 24-year-old Dieng played an influential role in helping Egypt’s Ahly claim the FIFA Club World Cup bronze medal for the second year straight in ruthless fashion, crushing nine-man Al-Hilal of Saudi Arabia 4-0 with a mesmerising display of offensive football in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.
Dieng put on a superb performance with the team throughout the prestigious tournament, mounting a cemented defence during the 1-0 win over Mexico’s Monterrey.
The team, however, lost 0-2 to South American champions Palmeiras in the semi-finals.
The burly defensive midfielder has quickly become a fan favourite after joining from Algerian side MC Algiers in July 2019 thanks to a series of impressive displays.
Dieng, who has made 104 appearances so far with Ahly in which he scored four goals and provided seven assists, stressed that Ahly’s pedigree in Africa is tempting for any young player.
Ahly failed to reach the FIFA Club World Cup final as a result of missing more than a dozen key players due to injuries and national team commitments, including first choice goalkeeper Mohamed El-Shennawi and talented South African winger Percy Tau.
With Kante in their line-up, European champions Chelsea won the 2021 FIFA Club World Cup title after beating Palmeiras 2-1 in the final game on Saturday.
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