Leicester bring forward final game to ‘give the GOAT the send-off he deserves’

Jamie Vardy will make his 500th and final appearance for Leicester City in their penultimate match of the season at home to Ipswich Town on Sunday (15:00 BST), the club have announced in a move to ensure the “momentous occasion” takes place at the King Power Stadium.

Leicester close their campaign at Bournemouth on May 25 but club legend Vardy’s farewell will arrive a week earlier, with the Foxes asking fans to arrive early and stay late to “give the GOAT [greatest of all time] the send-off he deserves”.

Vardy will hope to notch the goal he needs to take his total for Leicester to 200 before a series of post-match activities featuring “a host of former team-mates”.

Vardy’s goals…#1️⃣#5️⃣0️⃣ #1️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ #1️⃣5️⃣0️⃣ #1️⃣9️⃣9️⃣

The 🐐 pic.twitter.com/IG6WQL9BLD

— Leicester City (@LCFC) May 14, 2025

City captain Vardy, who was integral to one of the greatest sporting shocks of all time when Leicester won the 2015/16 top-flight title, described himself as “gutted” while announcing his exit in front of the Premier League trophy in April.

The 38-year-old all-time Premier League top scorer for the club also helped Leicester win the 2020/21 FA Cup and the Championship in 2014 and 2024.

Leicester have been relegated alongside Ipswich and Southampton and Vardy could face them next season if rumours prove accurate of a move to Wrexham, who have been promoted from League One.

“We haven’t spoken about anything in terms of recruitment,” Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson told BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast when he was asked about Vardy.

“Agents obviously ring all the time, and I’ve been saying, ‘Look, we’re not looking at recruitment until the end of the season’… because when you start speaking to players at this stage, you can destabilise your own dressing room.”

Betfred Welcome Offer – Bet £10 Get £50 On Charlton Athletic vs Wycombe Wanderers

Jamie Vardy clubs: Leicester ‘family’

Having been released by Sheffield Wednesday as a teenager, Vardy spent time with Stocksbridge Park Steels before making his name at Halifax Town.

After a prolific period at Fleetwood – then a non-league side – Vardy joined Leicester for £1 million in May 2012. “Being here so long, the fans took me in like I was one of their own,” he said when he announced his departure.

“You always want to repay that… 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.”

Jamie Vardy stats

By Leicester’s own assessment, Vardy’s arrival was “branded as foolhardy at best, strange at worst” – but his 16 goals helped the club return to the Premier League the following season.

A 24-goal total in that remarkable 2015/16 season, when Leicester had been 5,000/1 to win the Premier League, was the first of seven successive campaigns in which Vardy would hit double figures in the top flight.

Vardy names his all-time LCFC XI 👀 pic.twitter.com/yW7Hw2MwGG

— Leicester City (@LCFC) April 24, 2025

On November 28 2015, Vardy broke current Leicester manager Ruud Van Nistelrooy’s record by scoring in 11 straight Premier League games with one against the team for whom the Dutchman achieved the feat, Manchester United.

Among his litany of other highlights, Vardy helped Leicester reach the 2016/17 Champions League quarter-finals, the 2020/21 Europa League round of 32 and the 2021/22 Conference League semi-finals.

Jamie Vardy goals: Championship to Premier League

Vardy scored 20 goals last season as Leicester won the Championship and has seven goals and three assists in this season’s Premier League, with only nine English players outscoring him.

Leicester are second-bottom of the table and were relegated with five games to spare, causing Vardy to apologise to supporters on social media earlier after their fate was sealed.

Jamie Vardy, a Premier League and @LCFC icon. pic.twitter.com/2rREJz3b1K

— Premier League (@premierleague) April 24, 2025

“No words I have can ever express my feelings of anger and sadness with the way this season has gone,” he said. “There are no excuses.

“This season has been nothing but miserable and for me personally, a total embarrassment. It hurts and I know you’re feeling it too.”

Leicester City: Vardy ‘special’

Leicester call Vardy their “greatest ever player”, with chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha describing the club’s all-time third-highest scorer as “unique”.

“He is a special player and an even more special person,” said Srivaddhanaprabha. “He holds a place in the hearts of everyone connected to Leicester City.

“He certainly has my deepest respect and affection. I am endlessly grateful for everything he has given to this football club.”

⏪️ Jamie Vardy’s debut, all those years ago. pic.twitter.com/PjTcVPgaR0

— Leicester City (@LCFC) May 15, 2025

Jamie Vardy England record

An England debutant in 2015, Vardy scored seven goals in 26 international appearances, including five in 10 games in 2016.

Substitute Vardy scored England’s equaliser in their 2-1 win over Wales at Euro 2016 and was part of the squad at the Fifa 2018 World Cup, although he said he “could have helped a bit more if I had more minutes” after a brief appearance from the bench in the semi-final defeat to Croatia.

“When you get selected, you want to be playing,” Vardy explained after manager Gareth Southgate tried to change his decision to retire from international football after the tournament.

“If you’re playing week in, week out for your club, you want to be going to England to play as well.

“And if it’s not happening, then for me personally now, at this age, it’s better to be at home, spending that time with my family and training with my club, preparing for the next game after the international break.

Jamie Vardy net worth

Vardy is worth more than £9m and has earned more than £50m during his time with Leicester, according to Celebrity Net Worth.

He appeared in an advert for audio manufacturer Beats by Dre in 2015 and has had deals with Nike and Adidas, according to Footy Headlines.