Top News

A decade later, Leicester City’s 2016 Premier League triumph still stands as one of the most extraordinary accomplishments in modern football.

Claudio Ranieri’s Leicester side defied all logic and shattered expectations by overturning staggering 5,000-1 odds to end an 11-year dominance of the Premier League by Chelsea and the two Manchester clubs.

So, how did the Italian manager feel when his team finally achieved the impossible and sealed the title?

“April was a month full of emotions – it felt as though the entire city had gone completely mad,” Ranieri told FourFourTwo. “One day, during a press conference, someone even showed up with a plate of sausages.”

“Apparently, a local butcher had created a special sausage – made with fennel, chilli, and garlic – in my honour. The only ‘special’ thing for me, though, was the overwhelming smell of garlic! Honestly, it was so strong I could barely stand near it,” he laughed.

But beyond the light-hearted moments, there was a sense that something truly magical was unfolding.

“Amid that chaos, week after week, it started to feel like the unbelievable could actually happen,” Ranieri continued. “At the beginning of May, we drew 1-1 with Manchester United at Old Trafford. The next day, we would be crowned champions if Tottenham failed to beat Chelsea.”

“Right after our match, I flew to Rome to visit my mother. My return flight was planned for Monday night, meaning I would only find out our fate upon landing in London. But when our chairman heard about it, he insisted I use his private jet to return to Leicester in time to watch the game.”

“I reached home just as the match was about to kick off – perfect timing. My staff were already there, and the players had gathered at Jamie Vardy’s house, ready to celebrate if Tottenham slipped up.”

“Tottenham went 2-0 ahead in the first half, but I stayed calm. Having spent four years at Chelsea, I knew how fierce those matches against Spurs could be. There was still plenty of time left. For me, it was a quiet evening at home with my colleagues, but it turned out to be beautiful – the crowning moment of an unimaginable, perfect season.”

“What I carry with me is the immense pride of being forever linked to that incredible Premier League title, achieved against every possible expectation. It was something truly magnificent.”

“If there’s one small regret, it’s that I never met the fan who cashed out their bet before the title was confirmed, losing out on a big payout. If they had trusted us just a little longer, they would have won so much more. Of course, I understand – they probably needed the money, and hardly anyone believed in us until the very end.”

“Still, I would have been even happier if they could have claimed the full reward from that extraordinary bet. Football, and life, can be wonderfully unpredictable.”