Jamie Vardy Farewell: The last party...

Thank you, Jamie Vardy – The legendary English striker from Leicester City bid farewell to the fans of the "Foxes" on May 18, 2025, in his final home match at the King Power Stadium against fellow relegated team Ipswich Town (2-0). "Vards" had delivered the club's greatest moments: Premier League champion in 2016, Champions League quarterfinalist in 2017, FA Cup winner in 2021.

"Thank you, Vards" was written on the white and blue flags distributed throughout the King Power Stadium. They were waving once again for the greatest player their club has ever produced – sorry, Gary Lineker.

Yes, World Cup top scorer Lineker played for "The Foxes", as did the no less legendary Don Revie ("The Don"), World Cup winner Gordon Banks († 2019), Peter Shilton, Martin Keown, and Gary McAllister. But none were like Vardy.

James Vardy's Story: From Ankle Tag to Training and Matches

When a player receives his own chant in the Premier League stands, full of British self-irony, it's like being knighted.

This was also true for James Richard Gill, known as Jamie Vardy, who was sung about with "Jamie Vardy’s having a Party, bring your Vodka and your Charlie."

As he said goodbye, fans held up a sign that read "Goodbye to the GOAT", farewell to the Greatest of All Time.

Amid the Vardy commotion, calls for the dismissal of the board and sporting director John Rudkin echoed through the stands. As a relegated team, Leicester must return directly to the Championship. That had long been clear – ever since the 1-0 loss to the soon-to-be champions FC Liverpool on Easter Sunday.

The biggest Vardy party took place on May 2, 2016, at his home. Alongside his Leicester City teammates, the striker watched a 2-2 draw between title-chasing Tottenham Hotspur and FC Chelsea. That result officially crowned Leicester Premier League champions. The images of the Vardy house party went viral around the world.

Falling in love with Premier League football trips in May 2016 was inevitable, thanks to the wiry 1.78m striker and his almost unbelievable story.

Three Cans Before Every Match: Jamie Vardy and Red Bull

Sheffield Wednesday rejected him at 15 for supposedly being too small. Their loss—because players like him don’t come around every Wednesday...

After a conviction for assault and being released by Sheffield, Vardy played for Stockbridge in the Non-League with an electronic ankle tag. From 2007 to 2010, his career hit rock bottom, as it did again in 2010/2011 at seventh-tier FC Halifax Town.

With 31 league goals in 36 appearances in the fifth-tier National League for Fleetwood Town, he caught Leicester City's attention. The club from the West Midlands signed the written-off striker for the equivalent of €200,000.

With Vardy scoring 16 goals, "The Foxes" earned promotion to the Premier League in 2014.

But even in Leicester, Jamie Vardy didn’t live like a typical pro footballer. In November 2024, he revealed to Sky Sports UK that before each match, he drinks three cans of Red Bull, a double espresso, and eats a cheese-and-ham omelette.

Well, if you’re making history, you can do things your way...

Which Records Does Jamie Vardy Hold?

With 200 goals in 500 matches across all competitions, Jamie Vardy is Leicester City's all-time top scorer.

He signed off with another record. His goal to make it 1-0 against Ipswich Town in his final match made him, at 38 years, 4 months, and 7 days, the club's oldest scorer in Premier League history.

At 33, he surpassed the legendary Ivorian Didier Drogba in 2020 to become the oldest top scorer in Premier League history.

Between August and November 2015, Vardy scored in 11 consecutive Premier League games. That equaled the record of the man who now bid him farewell as Leicester's coach: "Van the Man", Ruud van Nistelrooy of Manchester United, who set the mark in 2003/2004.

Jamie Vardy vs Harry Kane

For a decade, Vardy was ever-present – with Leicester City, but also with the England national team, playing in the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Alongside the “Three Lions” led by captain Harry Kane and Jordan Pickford, he achieved the unimaginable.

England won their first-ever World Cup penalty shootout in a knockout stage match – against Colombia in the Round of 16. The emotional scenes from Moscow remain as unforgettable as those from Leicester.

What also links Harry Kane and Jamie Vardy is that both were rejected by major English clubs in their youth. Vardy by Sheffield Wednesday, Kane by FC Arsenal.

Like Vardy, Kane is also the record scorer for his long-time club, Tottenham Hotspur, netting 213 goals in 317 league appearances.

While Kane only lifted his first trophy in 2024/2025 at age 31 with Bayern Munich, Vardy celebrated five titles – all with Leicester City.

Jamie Vardy, “Mr. Leicester” – On May 18, 2025 – nine years after their title win – an era ends for Leicester City.

Jamie Vardy Salary: Partying on the Paycheck Too

With Jamie Vardy’s departure, the last remaining member of the 2016 title-winning squad is gone, and the memories of that magical 2015/2016 season begin to fade.

Captain Wes Morgan, Austrian Christian "Snake Tamer" Fuchs (both in 2021), playmaker Riyad Mahrez (2018), and Kasper Schmeichel (2024) had already left. One can’t help but feel a little older alongside these players...

Jamie Vardy earned around €165,000 per week in his final season. With €8.78 million per year, he was Leicester City's highest-paid player.

But he never considered joining another club for money. “Leave Leicester? Never! They wanted me when nobody else did. I’ll never let them down.”

The New York Times wrote: “One of the Premier League’s greatest stories comes to an emotional end. The rags-to-riches tale of a player who rose from Non-League to the pinnacle of football with Leicester in 13 incredible years is now truly over.”

Will Jamie Vardy Retire?

But not without one final, emotional Vardy moment. With his 200th goal for Leicester City in his 500th competitive match, he scored the winning goal against Ipswich Town.

Whether Vardy will play again or end his unique career is still uncertain just days after his Leicester farewell. The new FA Cup winner Crystal Palace is said to be interested.