Story highlights
Leicester City picks up EPL trophy
Foxes defeat Everton 3-1 at King Power stadium
Jamie Vardy scores twice and misses a penalty
The city of Leicester seems to have barely slept since it’s unlikely football heroes secured the English Premier League title earlier this week.
Yet the festivities are certain to continue after the Foxes outclassed a poor Everton side 3-1 before being presented with the EPL trophy Saturday.
A noisy and emotionally charged King Power stadium was serenaded by Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli, who was invited to perform by Leicester’s inspirational manager Claudio Ranieri, before the players took to the field.
But it was the newly installed champions hitting the right notes straight from the kick-off.
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Star-striker Jamie Vardy opened the scoring after five minutes, pouncing on Andy King’s center to flick beyond Joel Robles in the Everton goal.
King then placed the ball coolly beyond Robles to double Leicester’s advantage just after the half hour mark.
Vardy made it three from the penalty spot on 65 minutes after he was felled by Matthew Pennington.
The England striker could have grabbed a hat-trick shortly after but was denied by the outstretched leg of Robles.
Vardy then blazed a second penalty over the bar after Jeffrey Schlupp was scythed down unceremoniously by Darren Gibson.
Leicester looked to add to its tally but it was Everton that would claim the game’s final goal when Kevin Mirallas skipped past two defenders before slotting the ball past Kasper Schmeichel.
The loss a late consolation goal, however, was never likely to dampen the mood inside the buzzing King Power stadium.
“It’s an unbelievable feeling,” said a barely believing Leicester captain Wes Morgan speaking to Sky Sports shortly after the lifting the EPL trophy.
“I had to hold back the tears. I held them back and lifted it up. It was the best feeling in the world.
“It’s like a dream. But now it’s a reality and you just want to enjoy it.”
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Schmeichel, whose father won five Premier League titles with Manchester United between 1992 and 1999, seemed similarly emotional.
“This is what dreams are made of, it is what you dream of as a kid. It is hard to put into words,” Schmeichel said.
Wild celebrations in pubs, homes and on the streets of Leicester have been beamed across the world all week as fans reacted to Leicester’s achievement in outsmarting more illustrious and moneyed rivals such as Arsenal, Manchester City, Tottenham and Chelsea to triumph in one of the most competitive leagues in the world.
Some bookmakers even ranked a Kim Kardashian presidency in 2020 as a more likely outcome than a Leicester City EPL win at the beginning of the season.
The title is also Leicester’s first top division triumph in its 132-year history.
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Addressing fans as he introduced Bocelli before the game, Ranieri said: “We’re champions because you pushed behind us. Thank you. I love you.”
After the match, Ranieri again spoke of his happiness for Leicester City’s loyal followers who have backed them noisily all season.
“It is fantastic, the people have been unbelievable thank you to them,” Ranieri said.
“I am very very happy. I think it was an amazing moment for me (as) I am not youngest.
“To lift the trophy is something special. You are champion of the Premier League that is something special for me of course because I won some cups in Spain and Italy but to be champion here is fantastic,” Ranieri added.
Leicester can now look forward to Champions League football next year and the test of coming up against the finest teams in Europe.
For Ranieri, however, there is little to be afraid of given the scale of his team’s achievement this year.
“We know very well this is strange year and have to put it aside and be focused on next season. The foundations are strong,” he said.
