Jamie Vardy speaks on his decision to leave Leicester City after 13 seasons at the club, an emotional video uploaded online.
Leicester City’s iconic striker announced his departure from the club after 13 remarkable years, with his contract set to expire at the end of the 2024/25 season.
In a heartfelt statement, Vardy spoke about the deep connection he feels with Leicester, calling it his “second home” and “extended family.”
He expressed gratitude for the club, city, and fans, noting that Leicester “means so much to me and my family.”
Despite the emotional weight of leaving, Vardy, aged 38, made it clear he has no intention of retiring, saying he wants to keep playing and doing what he enjoys doing most, scoring goals.
Vardy’s departure follows a challenging season where Leicester, under manager Ruud van Nistelrooy, ended up being relegated to the Championship after a 1-0 defeat to Liverpool confirmed their fate.
Vardy said on social media that the campaign as a “total embarrassment” and “a shitshow,” apologising to fans for the team’s failure to perform.
Despite contributing seven goals and three assists in 27 Premier League games, he acknowledged the collective shortcomings.
His departures marks the end of an era, as he is the last remaining player from Leicester’s historic 2015/16 Premier League title-winning squad.
During his time at the club, Vardy scored 198 goals in 496 appearances, placing him third in the club’s all-time scoring and appearance charts.
His accolades include the 2016 Premier League title, the 2021 FA Cup, two Championship titles (2014, 2024), and the 2019/20 Premier League Golden Boot, making him the oldest player to win the award at 33.
Leicester chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha praised Vardy as “unique” and a “special person,” ensuring he and his family will always be welcomed back to King Power Stadium.
Goodbye to the GOAT 🐐 pic.twitter.com/romej28Kbr
— Leicester City (@LCFC) April 24, 2025
CLUB STATEMENT:
“We can confirm legendary striker Jamie Vardy will leave Leicester City this summer after 13 seasons that have seen him become our greatest-ever player.
– Jamie Vardy to leave Leicester City at the end of the 2024/25 season
– The legendary striker leaves the Club after a trophy-laden 13 years
– The 38-year-old is closing in on 500 appearances since joining City in 2012
– His final King Power Stadium appearance will be on Sunday 18 May
Vardy, 38, joined us for £1M from Fleetwood Town in 2012 and has gone on to become a Premier League, FA Cup, Community Shield and double Championship winner during a golden era for our Club.
There is no other player more synonymous with the incredible successes achieved in that time and, with nearly 500 appearances and almost 200 goals to his name, Vardy’s achievements on Filbert Way are unrivalled throughout our 141-year history.
Jamie’s final game at King Power Stadium will be on Sunday 18 May against Ipswich Town, where he will bid farewell to the supporters with whom he has lived through his rise from a non-league hopeful to one of the best goal scorers the Premier League has ever seen.
Leicester City Chairman, Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha, said: “Jamie is unique. He is a special player and an even more special person. He holds a place in the hearts of everyone connected to Leicester City, and he certainly has my deepest respect and affection. I am endlessly grateful for everything he has given to this Football Club.
“Although Jamie’s time with us as a player is ending, he and his family will always be welcomed back to King Power Stadium with open arms after all he has achieved. On behalf of everyone at Leicester City, I wish Jamie and his family the very best for the future and I know our supporters will join us in giving him the send-off he deserves at the end of this season.”
He leaves Leicester City as the third-highest goal scorer and appearance-maker in our history and has been a pivotal figure in all our recent achievements. From our ‘Great Escape’ in 2014/15, to the 5000/1 Premier League title win a season later that is regarded as one of the greatest sporting achievements of all time – he has been at the heart of it all.
That season included his record-breaking run of scoring in 11 consecutive Premier League games – a record that still stands – and Jamie being named the Premier League Player of the Season and the Football Writers’ Association’s Footballer of the Year. He would go on in subsequent seasons to continue scoring goals in the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League, while also securing the Premier League Golden Boot with 23 goals in 2019/20.
As well as lifting two Championship titles with the Foxes – the most recent as captain and an entire decade after the first – Vardy has also helped us win our first-ever FA Cup in 2021. In doing so, he became the only player in history to have played in every round of the competition from the preliminary stages to the final – a testament to the hard work, dedication and talent that has seen him rise to the top of the game.
Jamie’s career with Leicester City and his unparalleled contributions will be celebrated in the build-up to our final home fixture of the season as we express our deepest gratitude to a true great of this Football Club.
STATEMENT FROM JAMIE VARDY:
“It’ll be a really sad day. It’s something that I’ve thought about and spoken about with my family. I think it’s time.
“I’ll be devastated on the day when it is the last [game], but good things, they come to an end. It’s going to be one of those emotional days. Who knows which way that can go. If you ask anyone, I’m not really an emotional guy. Nothing like that ever comes across with me, 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.
“Especially for me, being here so long, the fans took me in like I was one of their own. You always want to repay that and that’s why this Club will always have a massive place in my heart. It’s family. The fans have, ever since I’ve been here, stuck with us through thick and thin.
“It comes to game days, and the atmosphere’s great. And then you get the die-hard ones who are travelling to every single away game as well. It’s really appreciated, it really is. Nothing in the world these days is cheap, so for them to be spending their money to back the club they love and, fortunately for myself, being involved in that for all of the past 13 seasons, it’s an unbelievable feeling.
“Scoring, that’s what I’m there for. If you ask anyone, it’s probably one of the hardest things you can do because you’ve got somebody who can use their hands in front of you! It’s not the easiest thing, but listen, if you’re good at it, as a striker, that’s what you want to be doing. You want to be scoring the goals, getting the fans on their feet, and no matter which end [I am], if I’m getting a bit of stick, I’ll happily run the length of the pitch to go and celebrate!
“It’s football, it’s entertainment. We’re going to get stick from the fans, but they should be ready to get it back. I don’t think any side of that should be took away from the game itself. It’s part and parcel of it, football’s full of emotions, it needs to be entertaining. That’s a massive part of it. It’s nothing personal, it’s part of the game, it’s what gets people going. I love it. I’m not fussed.”
Stick to Football podcast panel reacts to Jamie Vardy’s statement on Leicester’s relegation
Twitter users gave their reaction as Jamie Vardy speaks on his decision to leave Leicester after 13 seasons at the club…
@WestHam_Central: End of an era 🐐
@TheHolteHub: Absolute legend of the English Game – All the best at your future club Jamie 🐐
@Ashleypp1986: I think we will see @vardy7 back at the club in some capacity once he retires whether it be a coaching role or club ambassador. #LCFC
@jamesrl2476: I actually want to cry, I didn’t think this day would ever come. Definitely the greatest player we’ve ever had, we’ve got to give this man the best send off possible! All the best in the future @vardy7! #LCFC #JV9
@THENUNEATONFOX: End of an era with the news about Vardy leaving. Worth the £1m we got him from Fleetwood. Yes the 1st season was a struggle but persuaded not to quit by Nigel Pearson and the rest is history. Won the PL & FA Cup, our top goalscorer in PL and a #LCFC legend #ThankyouVardy
@dinokyp: Jamie Vardy is easily the greatest Leicester player of all time. Not just for the goals and what he helped us achieve, but for his passion, his commitment and his shithousery! I hope one day he comes back in some capacity. Retire the Number 9 shirt in tribute. #LCFC #VARDY
@benlapworth: The acronym GOAT is thrown around way too much these days. Jamie Vardy is the greatest to ever do it in a Leicester City shirt. Genuinely devastated to see him leave, it’ll be wrong to see him in anything other than a Leicester shirt. The end of an era. Build the statue #LCFC
@RizLCFC: That one has got me. 13 years and I still wanted more. The greatest to ever don the shirt of my hometown club. The epitome of all our highs, and the hope during our lows. How do we even do it without him? #JV9 #LCFC 😭🐐💙
@Lornadb: We knew this day was coming and yet it still feels so sad. Vardy has been an absolute legend for us and will go down in our history as one of the best ever. Thank you so much Jamie for all the incredible memories over the years, you’ve brought us fans so much joy! 💙🦊💔 #LCFC
@TheSirRobotto: It’s over, our greatest ever period has officially ended. Our last Premier League winner, something we will probably never achieve again. Next season in the Championship, it’s going be very long few years #LCFC
@mikeb9909: Genuinely never actually thought this day would come. Our greatest ever striker and a true club legend. I’d hoped he’d be here to bring us back up one more time but it seems that wasn’t on the cards. Thanks for everything vards, its been an amazing 13 years. #LCFC #JV9 #GOAT
@TomArme: Cheers, crying now! Legend doesn’t even cut it. Owes nothing to the club or the fans. Can’t help to think this wasn’t his decision. But, time moves on and we will, but sure is going to be weird not seeing him in and around the team! No one will ever come close #lcfc #goat
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