Jamie Vardy: ‘I can’t put it into words’ as Leicester City are crowned champions

'It's been a long and hard process to get where I am' said Jamie Vardy on Saturday as Leicester City emphatically took the pitch as Premier League champions in a 3-1 victory.

Leicester City's Jamie Vardy shown on Saturday as his side celebrated with the Premier League trophy following their win over Everton. Adrian Dennis / AFP / May 7, 2016

Jamie Vardy struggled to sum up his feelings after his double in a 3-1 win over Everton set the scene for Leicester City's Premier League trophy presentation on Saturday.

Vardy scored twice, and missed a penalty, on his return from a two-game suspension to take his tally for the campaign to 24 goals – one shy of Tottenham Hotspur marksman Harry Kane, his England colleague.

The 29-year-old striker was a non-league footballer as recently as 2012, having been playing in England’s seventh tier two years prior to that, and his rags-to-riches rise has come to symbolise Leicester’s 5,000-1 triumph.

“I can’t put it into words,” Vardy told Sky Sports in an on-pitch television interview at a raucous King Power Stadium.

“It’s been a long and hard process to get where I am.”

• Read more: Leicester City's success may not be a 'one-off', writes Greg Lea

• Also see: Leicester City lift the Premier League trophy – in pictures

Following the game, Leicester captain Wes Morgan was presented with the trophy in front of his teammates and manager Claudio Ranieri, prompting a flurry of pyrotechnics and huge roars from the sell-out crowd.

Vardy was joined on Leicester’s lap of honour by his fiancee, Becky Nicholson, and carried his one-year-old daughter, Sofia, in his arms.

Meanwhile, Danish goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel had his picture taken by his famous father, Peter, who won five Premier League trophies while keeping goal for Manchester United.

“This is what dreams are made of,” Kasper Schmeichel said. “It is what you dream of as a kid. It is hard to put into words.

“You can see everywhere we go we have had a fantastic response. We have received a brilliant reception everywhere and had standing ovations at numerous Premier League grounds, which is amazing.”

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