Released at 16, Jamie Vardy's route to the top level

This is the story of a boy born in Sheffield who always wanted to become a professional footballer. His name is Jamie Richard Vardy. Jamie began his development in Sheffield Wednesday’s academy but was released at the age of 16, judged to have no future in the game.

Vardy then joined Stocksbridge Park Steels, where he scored 66 goals in 107 matches in the Northern Premier League Division One. He remained a semi-professional after moving to Halifax and then to Fleetwood. Before turning professional, he worked as a technician making medical splints. Vardy first made a big impression in the 2011/12 campaign, when he scored three goals in six FA Cup games for Fleetwood.

Leicester City eventually signed the striker, and he became an essential part of the Foxes’ first team. At 28, Vardy was the top scorer in the English Premier League and had recently received his first international call-up. In the latest round of Premier League fixtures he scored against Newcastle, equalling van Nistelrooy’s record of scoring in ten consecutive league matches.

Leicester City’s clinical striker was now being watched by all the major European clubs. His pace and finishing invited comparisons with Michael Owen, who also relied on his sprint speed. The hope was that Vardy would not repeat Owen’s mistake of swapping the Premier League for La Liga. The bigger question was whether Vardy could help Leicester reach the Champions League for the first time in their history. Only time would tell, but if he stayed free of injuries and kept scoring, there was a real chance of achieving it.

The most important trait in his character, beyond his qualities on the pitch, is his strong self-confidence. He had even included a clause in his Leicester contract that paid bonuses if he was called up to the England squad.

If Jamie Vardy continued to perform at that level, he would surely be selected for England’s squad for UEFA Euro 2016 in France, which would be a great boost for his career. His teammates’ efforts should not be underestimated, though: football is above all a team sport, and Vardy was shining so brightly thanks to his understanding with the other Leicester City players. He had to wait until the age of 26 to play his first Premier League match, but it was a case of better late than never.

All things considered, Jamie Vardy is undoubtedly a very talented striker, and if he keeps scoring and playing at the top level he can become a world-class attacker. His development was set to be followed closely by everyone.

The step up from non-league

The move that changed Vardy’s career came in the summer of 2012. Fleetwood Town had just won the 2011–12 Conference Premier, with Vardy their top scorer on 31 league goals, and on 18 May 2012 Leicester City announced his signing for a reported £1 million, a record fee for a non-League player. The first season in the Championship was difficult, with four league goals in 26 appearances. The second was a breakthrough: Vardy scored 16 league goals in 2013–14 as Leicester won the Championship title and returned to the Premier League.

The record and the title that followed

A week after the goal against Newcastle on 21 November 2015, Vardy scored against Manchester United and broke Ruud van Nistelrooy’s record by scoring in 11 consecutive Premier League matches. The run ended on 5 December 2015 at Swansea. He finished the 2015–16 season with 24 league goals as Leicester won the Premier League title, and he was named FWA Footballer of the Year and Premier League Player of the Season.

The prediction about Euro 2016 also came true. Vardy was selected for England and came off the bench to equalise against Wales on 16 June 2016, in a match England won 2-1. He won 26 caps and scored seven goals for his country between 2015 and 2018.

Later milestones confirmed the late developer’s staying power. Vardy won the Premier League Golden Boot in 2019–20 with 23 goals and, at 33, became the oldest player to win the award. He started the 2021 FA Cup final, in which Leicester beat Chelsea 1-0 to win the competition for the first time. His final match for the club came on 18 May 2025 against Ipswich Town, when he scored his 200th Leicester goal in his 500th appearance, exactly 13 years after signing.