Leicester City have confirmed that legendary striker, Jamie Vardy, will bid farewell to the club at the end of the current campaign after 13 unforgettable seasons.
The 38-year-old marks the end of an era, having made over 400 appearances and played a pivotal role in some of the Foxes’ most iconic moments, including their historic Premier League triumph and FA Cup victory.
Reflecting on the emotional goodbye ahead, Vardy said on the club’s website, “I’ll be devastated on the day when it is the last [game], but good things, they come to an end,” he shared.
“It’s going to be one of those emotional days. Who knows which way that can go. If you ask anyone, I’m not really an emotional guy. Nothing like that ever comes across with me, but when you’ve been somewhere for so long, and it is time to say goodbye, you just never know what your personal reaction is going to be.”
Vardy, who became a cult hero in Leicester after joining from non-league Fleetwood Town in 2012 for just £1 million, leaves behind a legacy few could have foreseen.
From a fairy-tale rise to Premier League champion, to becoming one of the league’s most lethal forwards, his journey is a footballing inspiration.
“Especially for me, being here so long, the fans took me in like I was one of their own,” Vardy continued. “You always want to repay that and that’s why this Club will always have a massive place in my heart. It’s family. The fans have, ever since I’ve been here, stuck with us through thick and thin.
“It comes to game days, and the atmosphere’s great. And then you get the die-hard ones who are travelling to every single away game as well. It’s really appreciated, it really is. Nothing in the world these days is cheap, so for them to be spending their money to back the club they love and, fortunately for myself, being involved in that for all of the past 13 seasons, it’s an unbelievable feeling.”
Vardy’s list of achievements is as long as it is impressive. His record-breaking run of scoring in 11 consecutive Premier League matches during the 2015/16 season helped power Leicester to an improbable title win, and he finished that campaign with 24 league goals. That feat broke Ruud van Nistelrooy’s previous record of 10 straight matches with a goal.
In 2019/20, Vardy’s 23-goal haul earned him the Premier League Golden Boot, making him the oldest player to win the award at age 33.
Known as much for his flair and fiery personality as his goal-scoring prowess, he became one of the league’s most entertaining and polarizing figures.
Beyond domestic glory, Vardy helped Leicester lift their first-ever FA Cup in 2020/21, followed by the Community Shield in 2021. His European contributions included leading the Foxes to the Champions League quarter-finals in 2016/17.
On the international stage, Vardy earned 26 caps for England, scoring seven goals and representing the Three Lions at UEFA EURO 2016 and the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
Currently, Vardy ranks 15th on the Premier League’s all-time scorers list with 143 goals — every single one scored in a Leicester shirt.
Among players with all their goals for one club, only Harry Kane, Sergio Aguero, and Thierry Henry boast higher tallies. He’s also 11th among English Premier League scorers, just behind Robin van Persie (144 goals), a milestone he could still match or surpass with five matches left.
As Vardy prepares to hang up his Leicester boots, one final question lingers: can the iconic No. 9 crack the Premier League’s top 10 all-time scorers before his final curtain call?
