Vardy signs off with goal No 200

LONDON — Jamie Vardy said Leicester would always remain "in my heart", after he brought down the curtain on his Foxes career with his 200th goal for the club in Sunday's 2-0 victory against Ipswich.

Vardy was making his 500th and final appearance for Leicester after a remarkable spell, including a stunning Premier League title triumph in 2016 — the Foxes were ranked 5,000/1 outsiders before that campaign started — and FA Cup glory in 2021.

The fact that the 38-year-old began his career in non-league soccer, having been released by hometown club Sheffield Wednesday, before going on to win 26 England caps, just added to his cult appeal with Leicester fans.

Sunday's match also came exactly 13 years to the day since Vardy joined Leicester from Fleetwood for a non-league record fee of 1 million pounds ($1.3 million).

"I've enjoyed every minute of this," Vardy, speaking on the pitch after full-time, told the Leicester faithful. "I look forward to keeping an eye on the club I love. They are in my heart.

"From the bottom of my heart, thank you for taking myself and my family in as your own. I hope I've repaid you."

With Leicester relegated from the Premier League long before Sunday's match against Ipswich, which is also Championship-bound, Vardy had already announced he was leaving the Midlands club at the end of the season.

It was then agreed that Vardy, the club's record goalscorer, would not play in this weekend's final game of the campaign, away to Bournemouth, to ensure his last Leicester appearance came at the King Power Stadium.

And he gave fans one more moment to savor, when he opened the scoring in the 28th minute, before being given a guard of honor by his teammates as he walked off the pitch after being substituted with 10 minutes to go.

He had led Leicester out onto the pitch before kick-off, with fans waving flags in the stands with "Thank you Vards" printed on them, while two banners were hung up behind each goal end as the scoreboard read "Goodbye GOAT (Greatest of All Time)".

The 2019-20 Premier League Golden Boot winner had already missed the target with two chances, but it was third time lucky just before the half-hour mark when he finished expertly for his ninth league goal of the season, following a through ball from James Justin.

Kasey McAteer ensured Vardy would be on the winning side in his final Leicester appearance by making it 2-0 — the midfielder's first Premier League goal — in the 69th minute.

"I'm happy I could play my way into the game and get on the scoresheet as well as Vardy," McAteer told Premier League Productions.

AFP