Leicester City legend Jamie Vardy has overlooked his current team-mates when naming an all-time XI from his time at the King Power Stadium. The Foxes will part ways with the veteran at the end of the season, nine years after he fired them to the Premier League title.
Vardy, 38, first joined Leicester from Fleetwood Town in 2012 after banging in 31 goals in the National League. He has shared a pitch with a number of top players across his 450+ games for his current club, though it might not come as too huge a surprise to learn his selection is dominated by players from that 2015-16 title-winning side.
“Goalkeeper, I’d go Kasper [Schmeichel],” he told club media. “Back four, I think… speaks for itself really. I’d have Simmo [Danny Simpson] right-back, Big Wes and Huthy [Wes Morgan and Robert Huth] centre-half and Fuchsy [Christian Fuchs] at left-back.
“I’d then go three in midfield, I think I’d have [N’Golo] Kante sitting, with Danny Drinkwater and Youri Tielemans in front. And then on the left, Marc Albrighton, on the right, Riyad [Mahrez] and up front, yeah, I’ll go with myself.”
Of the 11 players chosen by Vardy, 10 won the league in 2016, with many sticking around for the next few years. The only exception is Tielemans, who was signed by Claude Puel on an initial loan and scored the winner when Leicester won the FA Cup under Brendan Rodgers.
Vardy is Leicester’s all-time leading scorer in the Premier League, and their third-highest scorer of all time. His 143 Premier League goals put him 15th on the all-time list, second only to Mohamed Salah when it comes to currently active players.
Only seven of those goals have come this season, though, with Leicester relegated with five games to spare. Ruud van Nistelrooy’s side have only scored 27 in total, and are already guaranteed to finish with fewer points than when they were last relegated in 2022-23.
Vardy is out of contract at the end of the season, and his deal won’t be renewed. His final Leicester game will come on May 25, when their season comes to an end against Bournemouth.
“Gutted that this day has come but I knew it was going to come eventually,” he said in a social media message. “I’ve had 13 unbelievable years at this club with lots of success, some down but the majority all highs. It’s finally time to call it a day which I am devastated about.
“But I think the timing is right, just wanna sincerely thank you all for taking me in as one of your own. Leicester will always have a massive place in my heart and I’ll make sure that I’ll be following for years to come in what I hope will be even more success for the club. But as for now, this is my goodbye but you will see me again, I promise.”
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