In the hidden realms of WhatsApp, a select group of footballers exchanges memes, laughs, and perhaps much more. What happens there stays secret, but just last week, Christian Fuchs, the steadfast left-back turned Newport County manager, shared how his new role at the Welsh club had stirred activity in the “Champions” chat, featuring the 2015-16 Leicester City squad. A decade ago, Riyad Mahrez’s hat-trick against Swansea propelled the Foxes to the top of the Premier League. Jamie Vardy, though denied a goal, had recently set a record by scoring in 11 consecutive games. The following Monday, a 2-1 victory over Chelsea saw José Mourinho facing Stamford Bridge’s exit. “I want to stay and I hope Mr. Abramovich and the board want me to stay because I want to stay,” he declared. “All at Chelsea thank José for his immense contribution …” came the response.
During that season, others trailed behind a team powered by Vardy, Mahrez, and N’Golo Kanté. Next summer will likely see a 10th-anniversary celebration. Their tale is almost unbelievable, as no tactical blueprint or analysis predicted the sheer motivation of Claudio Ranieri’s “dilly ding dilly dong” approach. Football, however, rarely lets you rest on past glories. Consider Manchester United’s struggles or Liverpool’s decline, champions whose fans now endure a tragicomedy reminiscent of Samuel Beckett. For misery-seekers, Leicester’s 2025 situation might be worse, with the potential 10th-anniversary celebration occurring in League One.
Did the decline start the following season? What happened, Mr. Vardy? An opening-day defeat at Hull against a manager-less team soon led to Ranieri being ousted: dilly ding, dilly gone. The 2018 helicopter crash tragedy took Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha’s life, and financial missteps followed, placing Leicester on the brink of a points deduction that could push them into the Championship’s relegation zone. When Vardy left for Cremonese last summer, the last legend exited. The demise has worsened. Ruud van Nistelrooy’s failed attempts to combat relegation last season have been echoed by Martí Cifuentes.
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