Ever since Leicester City’s first game at the King Power Stadium, they’ve been on a history-making journey. In 2002, the Foxes moved across the road from Filbert Street, to the – then called – Walkers Stadium.
The stadium, known to many as the ‘crisp bowl’ saw a turbulent start to the new era of the East Midlander’s history. Humiliating relegations, poor football, and terrible signings saw Leicester, at one point, relegated to League One.
Then, in 2011, a year after buying the club, Chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha bought the naming rights to the stadium, crowning it the King Power. Vichai’s King Power business had already been sponsoring Leicester’s kit for several seasons, and it would become synonymous with the future of the Foxes.
In the first season of the King Power era, Leicester finished 9th in the Championship, but since then their footballing journey has skyrocketed. From winning the Championship, to the ‘Great Escape’, to winning the Premier League. But what best defines the journey and the moments that have brought so many fans so much joy? Goals.
Here at Foxes of Leicester, we are listing our three favourite goals of the King Power era. This was a tough list to narrow down, but ultimately there could only be three.
Jamie Vardy, Leicester City vs Manchester United (5-3) – September 2014
Perhaps the most controversial pick here, Jamie Vardy’s goal certainly isn’t a visually stunning strike like the other two on this list, but this goal is more about what it symbolised. Fresh from winning the Championship, newly promoted Leicester City took on a Manchester United side filled with superstars.
Rooney, Van Persie, Di Maria, and Falcao all started in a terrifying attacking line-up named by Louis van Gaal. From the offset they were clear favourites for the game.
This was only confirmed when United scored two goals in the space of three minutes, including and exceptional chipped finish from Di Maria. Ulloa’s bullet header kept the game open for Leicester at half time, with the score 2-1. United’s third looked to have killed the game off, but Nugent’s cool penalty, and an iconic goal from the Esteban Cambiasso, levelled the game at 3-3.
It was then, that the magic really kicked in. Until this point, Jamie Vardy had struggled in front of goal in the Premier League and, at times, looked a fish out of water. It had only been a few years since Leicester gambled £1m on the non-league striker. But against Manchester United, Vardy was relentless.
Richie de Laet’s through ball found Vardy as the United defence were lost at sea. It left a one-on-one with David de Gea and, with all the weight and pressure of Leicestershire on his back, Vardy coolly slotted the ball past the Spaniard.
At that point the King Power erupted, and the Premier League was well and truly introduced to Jamie Vardy and his – at that point – questionable hair-do. It was his first goal in the Premier League. His first – as of writing – of 127, putting him as joint 14th highest scorer in Premier League history.
Vardy’s goal not only encompasses the arrival of the Sheffield-born striker, but it personifies the arrival of Leicester back to the top-flight of English football. The result garnered headlines, but it was only a small preview of what was yet to come.
Jamie Vardy vs Liverpool (2-0) – February 2016
When this article was first put to me, this was the immediate goal that I thought of. It is arguably the best goal ever to be scored at the King Power, and of course it was scored by the most iconic play of the King Power era: Jamie Vardy.
Not only is this goal so visually brilliant and technically challenging, but also the fact that it happened in the 2015-16 season, the greatest season in the Foxes’ history: their Premier League winning campaign.
It was a season full of doubters for Leicester. At 5000/1 they were favourites for relegation that year. Instead, they put up an incredible charge which found them top of the table at Christmas, producing stunning displays and comebacks. Still, pundits doubted if Leicester would actually go all the way.
By February, Leicester were still top, but faced their toughest run in of games as they hosted Liverpool, travelled away to title-contenders Manchester City, and then went to London to play a spirited Arsenal. Many pointed at these games as Leicester’s downfall.
Jamie Vardy had already made history that season, becoming the first player to ever score in 11 consecutive Premier League games – his eleventh narrowly missed out on this list – but it was on a cold night in Leicester that he unleashed his best yet.
A high pass from the imperious Riyad Mahrez found Vardy with acres of space to run at goal. Instead, Vardy saw Liverpool ‘keeper Simon Mignolet slightly off his line and, from 25 yards out, Vardy smashed the bouncing ball over Mignolet and into the top corner.
BBC Radio Leicester’s Ian Stringer provided some iconic commentary that night, screaming out ‘watch it again, watch it again and watch it again’. It is a goosebumps moment, a standout moment from the title win, and it is typical box office Vardy.
Vardy has since called it his favourite ever goal for the Foxes, saying: “I saw that I had no support so I just thought, ‘Why not?’ Luckily enough I hit it sweet and it’s gone in the top corner.” Simply iconic.
Youri Tielemans vs Chelsea (1-0) – May 2021
You knew it was coming. Yes, the previous two goals were actually at the King Power but name a more iconic Leicester goal than this one.
Before May, Leicester had never won the FA Cup, it was the one trophy that was a notable miss from their cabinet. The League Cup and the Premier League were there, but the trophy that many fans had been dreaming of was yet to be won.
Add to that, the Foxes recent poor history in the competition which can be defined by a miserable night in Newport as Claude Puel played an understrength team that were ultimately humiliated. In 2021 though, something felt different.
Justin’s stunner at Stoke, the comeback at Brentford, and the last-minute header against Brighton got the Foxes through to the quarter finals. A home tie against Manchester United provided one of the greatest ever performances from Leicester City which was followed by a scrappy semi-final at Wembley, but Kelechi Iheanacho delivered the vital blow to put the Foxes into the final.
Chelsea were the opponents, a team rejuvenated under Thomas Tuchel. They had dismissed Manchester City in their semi-final, and would eventually go on to beat them again to win the Champions League. And yet, something was in the air.
Perhaps it was having a large crowd back after the troubles that COVID-19 caused, perhaps it was the form of Kelechi Iheanacho, perhaps it was the lingering fairy-tale of 2016, but there was a belief. There wasn’t intimidation, they weren’t overwhelmed.
At half-time, both sides had their fair share of chances, yet the score was still 0-0. The second half started the same, but on 63 minutes, Ayoze Perez intercepted a Chelsea ball, and passed to Luke Thomas. The young left back then gave the ball to Youri Tielemans who took a few steps with the ball before lining up a shot from 25 yards. The Belgian’s shot was unstoppable, driving fast into the top corner in front of the Leicester supporters.
Drama followed in the dying moments with a Wes Morgan own-goal threatening to ruin his final ever game for the Foxes, but luckily VAR intervened. Full time rang out and Tielemans’ stunner proved enough to win the final piece of Leicester’s trophy jigsaw.
Not only was it one of the greatest ever FA Cup goals of all time, let alone one in a final, but it also provided one of the most emotional moments in Leicester’s history, as Khun Top pointed to his dad in the sky as he lifted the FA Cup. For that reason, it is hands down our favourite goal of the King Power era. Now go on, watch it again.