Jamie Vardy
A non-league journeyman who exploded into a Premier League champion and record-breaker, embodying football's most improbable fairy tale.
Born 1987 (age 39)·English footballer·Birthday: January 11·Millennials
Biography
Jamie Vardy's story is the stuff of sporting myth, a rocket-fuelled ascent from the obscurity of England's lower leagues to the pinnacle of the global game. As a young man, he played for Stockbridge Park Steels while working in a factory making medical splints, his career seemingly going nowhere fast. A move to Fleetwood Town offered a lifeline, and his goal-scoring exploits there earned a bargain transfer to Leicester City. After a tough first season, he ignited, becoming the engine of a team that performed the unthinkable: winning the 2016 Premier League title against 5000-to-1 odds. Vardy was the snarling, relentless heart of that side, breaking a Premier League record by scoring in 11 consecutive matches. He carried that form for years, leading Leicester to an FA Cup victory and becoming a cult hero defined by his blistering pace, fierce determination, and a celebratory can of Red Bull.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Jamie was born in 1987, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Jamie Was Born
The biggest hits of 1987
#1 Movie
Three Men and a Baby
Best Picture
The Last Emperor
#1 TV Show
The Cosby Show
Jamie's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1987Born
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1992Started school
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2000Became a teenager
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2003Could drive
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2005Could vote
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2008Turned 21
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2017Turned 30
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 39 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the Premier League with Leicester City in the 2015-16 season, one of the greatest sporting upsets ever.
- Set a Premier League record by scoring in 11 consecutive matches during the 2015-16 title season.
- Won the FA Cup with Leicester City in 2021, scoring the only goal in the final against Chelsea.
- Was named the Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year in 2016.
- Earned 26 caps for the England national team, playing in the 2016 UEFA European Championship and the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
Did You Know?
He wore a GPS monitoring device during matches due to a belief he had a low immune system.
He released an autobiography, 'From Nowhere, My Story', in 2016.
He is a part-owner of American soccer club Rochester New York FC.
Before matches, he drinks a port and Red Bull mixture as part of his routine.
“I’m not a footballer, I’m a guy that plays football. There’s a difference.”
