Leicester City, the champions of England. Even now it just sounds so absurd.
Before the 2015/2016 season, the impossible dream seemed a million miles away. The talismanic Nigel Pearson had been fired and the news of Claudio Ranieri’s appointment went down like a lead balloon.
Still, “Tinkerman” somehow transformed his squad of fired, former non-league players and unknown stars from small teams in France into Premier League champions. Here’s a look at the Leicester City side that shook the foundations of the modern game and became only the sixth team to ever win the biggest prize in domestic football.
Schmeichel will soon leave a Leicester testimony | Richard Heathcote / GettyImages
After joining Leicester City five years before following in his father’s footsteps by becoming Premier League champions, Kasper Schmeichel dropped just 36 goals in the 2015/16 campaign.
The now 34-year-old is still Leicester’s number one and remains one of the most reliable goalkeepers in the Premier League.
Simpson was always solid on the back Dan Mullan / GettyImages
Former Manchester United youth prospect Danny Simpson continued to hold down the right-back until Ricardo Pereira’s arrival in 2018.
He left Leicester in the summer of 2019 and initially struggled to find a new side before being released on a one-year deal by Huddersfield Town. He did some expert for his former club’s Europa League run before reuniting with Pearson in Bristol City in March 2021.
Huth famously hit a brace against Manchester City Michael Regan / GettyImages
How Rob Huth turned Leicester City into Premier League champions during his first full season with the club – he was loaned out during the second half of the 2014/15 campaign – remains a mystery, but his arrival helped transform the club’s fortunes forever.
Huth saw the rest of his contract at King Power Stadium before retiring in 2018. He made 322 appearances in the Premier League during his career and became league champion three times. Since retiring, he has kept a low profile and returned to live in Berlin in 2021 – where he will probably spend his time with laugh-out-loud best friend Jonathan Walters.
Morgan has scored some important goals for Leicester over the years BEN STANSALL / GettyImages
Leicester’s title-winning captain was due to leave the club at the end of this 2018/2019 season, but the 35-year-old signed a one-year extension to his contract following the arrival of Brendan Rodger as his new manager.
He then got another year for the 2020/2021 campaign, and he showed up a handful of times when the fox went through an injury crisis. He has talked about turning into the business side of the game when he eventually retires.
One day Fuchs gets his MLS move | Shaun Botterill / GettyImages
If you’re looking for the dictionary definition of a fan favorite, Christian Fuchs is a perfect fit.
In the season after the title win, Ben Chilwell eventually ousted Fuchs as the foxes’ starting left-back, although he remains at the club this day. Every year he says he will move to the United States and every year he is convinced to stay. Surely an MLS club will take the chance on this legend for the 2021. Season or maybe an NFL team needs a kicker?
Mahrez’s first touch is legendary | ADRIAN DENNIS / GettyImages
Riyad Mahrez was signed from the French side Le Havre while Leicester City were still playing in the championship and was crowned the PFA player’s season player during the club’s title winning campaign.
The technician stayed at King Power Stadium for another two years before convincing Manchester City to splash over £ 61m on him in 2018. Since then, he has won another Premier League title, an FA Cup and an EFL Cup.
Drinkwater’s career has gone after leaving Leicester | Laurence Griffiths / GettyImages
Danny Drinkwater was not considered one of Leicester City’s three best players when they won the Premier League title, but the former Manchester United youth star was the beating heart of Claudio Ranieri’s team.
He made 218 appearances during his five years at the club, but a move to Chelsea in 2017 started a rapid decline. He rarely presented to the Blues on loan at Aston Villa and Burnley failed to revive his career.
These days he can be found on loan on the Turkish side of Kasimpasa.
Kante is one of the best midfielders on the planet Laurence Griffiths / GettyImages
N’Golo Kanté spent just a full season at Leicester City after joining from Caen in 2015 for £ 8.1m before leaving for Chelsea next summer for almost four times that fee.
His performances during Leicester’s title-winning season helped establish Kanté in the French national team and he continued to cement his place as a truly world-class defensive midfielder. He won the PFA of the Year of 2017 and World Cup 2018 awards.
Albrighton is a workhorse | Michael Regan / GettyImages
He did not make the headlines as other players in Leicester City’s squad, but Marc Albrighton’s delivery helped give a new impetus to their naturally counter-attacking team.
Albrighton is still an important part of their side and will remain under contract until 2022. Not bad for a free transfer.
Okazaki’s smile lights up a room Michael Regan / GettyImages
Japan’s international Shinji Okazaki had never been the most prolific striker during his four years in the Bundesliga, but it was his work of the ball that convinced the club to spend almost £ 10 million on his 2015 signing.
Okazaki always played with a smile on his face and proved to be the perfect partner for Leicester City’s top scorer, and he even scored with a handful of goals.
After falling into the breeding order, he went free to Malaga in 2019 where his contract was terminated after one month because they could not match his salary demands. Huesca soon came shouting and he helped push them to the La Liga campaign with 12 goals in 37 games.
GETEN | Michael Regan / GettyImages
From Stocksbridge Park Steels to the non-league, to Leicester City, via spells at Halifax and Fleetwood Town, everything within two years is still one of the biggest success stories in European football.
Jamie Vardy had always been an inconvenience for defenders during the first three years at Leicester City, but even his 16-goal journey during their promotion from the championship made him only the league’s top ten goal scorer.
After surviving the relegation, Vardy scored 24 goals in the Premier League when Leicester City became champions. Since then, the goals have continued to come and he won the division’s 2019/2020 Golden Boot with 23 goals. He is not ready yet with his Leicester contract, which will not expire until 2023.
Ulloa played his part in the title victory | BEN STANSALL / GettyImages
Leonardo Ulloa – An important impressive sub during the title innings, Ulloa stayed next season but saw the playing time increasingly limited. Following a loan spell at Brighton, the striker moved to Pachuca, Mexico before signing for Rayo Vallecano.
Andy King – The home-trained midfielder played a different role in a big underdog story that year, when Wales went to the semi-finals of the European Championship 2016. Outstanding under Claude Puel, he went out on loan several times before signing for OHL Leuven, a Belgian club also owned by King Power. Stella Artois is also brewed nearby.
Jeff Schlupp The Ghana international, who played 24 times during Leicester’s title-winning season, signed for Crystal Palace in 2017 and has developed a good career since then.
Nathan Dyer was in the right place at the right time Michael Regan / GettyImages
Nathan Dyer – It looked very much like a sideways movement when the winger Dyer moved on loan from Swansea to Leicester for 2015/16. Instead, he got to play a role in one of the greatest football results of all time. He returned to Swansea after that before being released in 2020. He has since trained with his former side while looking for a new club.
Demarai Gray – Gray joined Leicester as a teenager in the winter transfer window for the 2015/16 season. He went on to play 80 substitutions for the club before finally getting tired of playing second fiddle and signing for Bayer Leverkusen in January 2021. He scored on his debut but has since been limited playing time off the bench – again.
