The Leicester City striker joins teammate Riyad Mahrez as one of eight Premier League representatives.
Leicester City’s Jamie Vardy
From prolific non-league starlet, to top flight hotshot, to eventual Premier League champion, the Jamie Vardy story is one of the most impressive rises in football.
The Foxes’ number nine has forced himself into the England reckoning and is performing on Europe’s big stage in the Champions League where Leicester are certain to progress to the knockout stages as group winners.
And it’s only gotten a whole lot better for Vardy as he has found himself on the shortlist for the prestigious Ballon d’Or award.
Yes, the usual big-hitters of Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Luis Suarez are now joined by the former Stocksbridge Park Steels striker, who is one of eight Premier League stars to have been nominated and the only Englishman to be up for the accolade.
Leicester City’s Jamie Vardy celebrates scoring their first goal
Last year’s PFA Player of the Year and Foxes teammate Riyad Mahrez is also in the running, but it seems not everyone is particularly happy at Vardy’s success.
In fact, a large majority can’t quite believe the former Fleetwood Town forward is sharing a stage with some of Europe’s finest footballers, while others see it as just reward for a remarkable 2015/16 season.
As news broke on Monday evening at Vardy’s inclusion, here’s how Twitter reacted to the 29-year-old in the running for the Ballon d’Or.
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