Leicester City are planning a special send-off for Jamie Vardy at King Power Stadium on Sunday, as the legendary striker attempts to write a fairytale ending to his incredible career with the club.
In what will be his 500th and final appearance for the Foxes, Vardy is looking to score his 200th goal - on the 13th anniversary of his signing.
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The 38-year-old announced last month that he would depart at the end of this season, and the club have since confirmed his last game will be at home to Ipswich Town, instead of away to AFC Bournemouth on the final day.
Vardy will therefore bring the curtain down on his Leicester career this weekend, when team-mates from the Foxes' 2015/16 title-winning squad will return to honour him before kick-off. Fans will also take part in a pre-match display of affection for the captain.
One of Premier League's best-ever signings
Vardy is recognised as one of the Premier League's greatest value-for-money signings, having arrived from Fleetwood Town in 2012 for a transfer fee of just £1million.
His 199 goals for Leicester so far include 143 in the Premier League, with 24 of those recorded in the Foxes' stunning title-winning season nine years ago.
Between August and November 2015 in that memorable campaign, Vardy set the record of scoring in 11 consecutive matches. The previous record of 10 games in a row was set by Ruud van Nistelrooy - then of Manchester United and now the Leicester manager.
Vardy, who also helped Leicester to win the FA Cup in 2021, has been an inspirational figure for the way he has risen from non-league football to the very top of the pyramid.
He was scouted while playing for Stockbridge Park Steels as a 22-year-old in 2010 and moved to FC Halifax Town before firing Fleetwood into the EFL.
In 2019/20, Vardy scored his 100th Premier League goal and, at the age of 33, became the oldest player to win the division's Golden Boot award. He netted 23 times in the league that season.
During his time at Leicester, the striker has overtaken Arsenal legend Ian Wright for the most Premier League goals scored after turning 30.
Player goals before and after age 30
| Player | Goals before 30 | Goals from 30+ |
| Jamie Vardy | 34 | 110 |
|---|---|---|
| Ian Wright | 20 | 93 |
| Alan Shearer | 176 | 84 |
| Frank Lampard | 95 | 82 |
| Teddy Sheringham | 69 | 77 |
| Mohamed Salah | 120 | 65 |
| Les Ferdinand | 92 | 57 |
| Didier Drogba | 47 | 57 |
| Paolo Di Canio | 12 | 54 |
| Andrew Cole | 136 | 51 |
| Gustavo Poyet | 4 | 50 |
Vardy's 143 Premier League goals for Leicester place him behind only Harry Kane (213 for Tottenham Hotspur), Sergio Aguero (184 for Manchester City) and Thierry Henry (175 for Arsenal) in the list of top scorers whose strikes in the competition have all been with a single club.
Vardy has made 26 appearances for England, scoring seven goals. He was in the squad for two major tournaments, UEFA EURO 2016 and the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
'The club will always have a massive place in my heart'
While Sunday's farewell match will undoubtedly be an emotional occasion for Vardy, his family and the Leicester fans, the man himself is unsure of how he will express his feelings.
"If you ask anyone, I’m not really an emotional guy," said Vardy on Leicester's official website.
"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.
"This club will always have a massive place in my heart. It’s family. The fans took me in like I was one of their own and have stuck with us through thick and thin ever since I've been here.
"I’ll be devastated [to leave], but good things come to an end."
Leicester manager Van Nistelrooy said everyone at the club - especially Vardy's team-mates - is desperate for the striker to bow out with a landmark 200th goal for the club.
"The players want to help, we all want to give him the best possible farewell," said Van Nistelrooy, in his pre-match press conference.
"Of course, there's no better way than to get results, to get him on the scoresheet. There's a big motivation there, I sense in not only the players, but also in the staff and in the fanbase.
"When you've performed 13 seasons at this level, coming up to 500 games and 200 goals, that says it all. The standards you set yourself, the way you live your life around football and how you perform.
"Then you look at the trophies he has won, and the individual achievements. It's the total package for one of the greatest."
Honouring an icon
Leicester will celebrate Vardy's legacy on Sunday with many of his former team-mates in attendance to welcome him onto the pitch for the last time.
The club will mark his final match in a Foxes shirt by handing special souvenir flags to supporters, with a big display planned before kick-off.
Officials have urged supporters to be in their seats early to make sure the striker receives a fitting farewell.
Leicester said on their official website: "We thank everyone in advance for helping us give the GOAT the send-off he deserves."
