Jamie Vardy, born on January 11, 1987, in Sheffield, grew up in a football-driven city and supported Sheffield Wednesday. After being released from Sheffield Wednesday’s youth system, he rose through non-league football, playing for Stocksbridge Park Steels, Halifax Town, and Fleetwood Town.
His impressive performances earned him a move to Leicester City in 2012, where he made history, helping the team win the 2016 Premier League title. Vardy’s career continued to impress with over 200 Premier League goals and notable achievements, including winning the Golden Boot in 2020 and lifting the FA Cup in 2021.
In 2025, Vardy moved to Serie A club Cremonese after an extraordinary career at Leicester. Internationally, he represented England, playing in major tournaments, including Euro 2016 and the 2018 World Cup.
Vardy’s net worth in 2025 is estimated at £58.24 million, accumulated from his football career, endorsements, and smart investments. He is also involved in football development and business ventures, including his V9 Academy for non-league players and a minority stake in Rochester New York FC.
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Jamie Vardy’s Early Life And Football Beginnings
Jamie Vardy was born in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, and grew up in the Hillsborough area of the city. Vardy’s biological father left when he was a baby, and later his mother, Lisa, married Phil Vardy, whose surname Jamie took.
His stepfather worked as a crane operator while his mother had a job in a solicitor’s office. From a young age, football was at the center of Vardy’s world. He supported Sheffield Wednesday and looked up to their striker David Hirst, who became his boyhood hero.
Growing up in Sheffield during the 1990s and early 2000s meant living in a city divided by football. His early passion for football grew from watching the fierce rivalry between Sheffield Wednesday and Sheffield United.
Vardy recalled how the Steel City derbies created electric atmospheres, with bragging rights on the line for fans all over the city. His loyalty to Sheffield Wednesday remained strong even as his career developed.
This rivalry would later inspire some of his most memorable goal celebrations, especially when he scored for Leicester City in a 2–1 win at Bramall Lane, celebrating directly in front of the Sheffield United supporters.
Jamie Vardy’s Rise Through Non-League Football
Jamie Vardy’s career to the top of English football began far from the glamour of the Premier League. As a teenager, he was part of Sheffield Wednesday’s youth system, but the club released him when he was just 16.
Instead of giving up, Vardy moved to non-league side Stocksbridge Park Steels, where he earned only £30 a week. Starting in the reserves, he worked his way up and made his first-team debut in 2006.
It was during the 2007–08 season that Vardy really started to impress, catching the eye with his pace and finishing. Despite trials with Crewe Alexandra and an offer from Rotherham United, he stayed with Stocksbridge and went on to score 55 goals in all competitions.
His goals helped the club secure promotion to the Northern Premier League and win the Sheffield & Hallamshire Senior Cup. In 2010, Neil Aspin, then manager of FC Halifax Town, signed Vardy for £15,000.
He scored on his debut against Buxton. By the end of the season, he had netted 25 goals in 37 appearances, finishing as Halifax’s top scorer and earning the Player’s Player of the Season award.
His goals were crucial in Halifax winning the Northern Premier League title. After just over a year, Vardy took another step up by joining Fleetwood Town in 2011. He became their main striker, scoring regularly in both league and cup matches.
His form was electric, scoring hat-tricks, winning Player of the Month, and even attracting transfer bids from bigger clubs. By the end of the 2011–12 season, he had led Fleetwood to the Conference Premier title with 31 league goals, making him the top scorer in the division.
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Jamie Vardy’s Leicester City Career And Premier League Success
Jamie Vardy’s story with Leicester City is one of the most remarkable in modern football. Signed from Fleetwood Town in May 2012 for a then-record £1 million fee for a non-League player, Vardy’s early years at the King Power Stadium were tough.
During his first season in the Championship, he struggled for form and even considered quitting football, but manager Nigel Pearson convinced him to stay. That decision changed both his career and Leicester’s history.
By the 2013–14 season, Vardy had become a key part of Leicester’s attack. His pace and relentless work rate helped the Foxes win the Championship title and secure promotion to the Premier League.
Vardy scored 16 league goals and was named Leicester’s Player of the Season. Vardy made his Premier League debut in August 2014 and announced himself with a stunning performance in a 5–3 victory over Manchester United.
However, it was the 2015–16 campaign where he made history. Under Claudio Ranieri, Vardy scored in 11 consecutive Premier League matches, breaking Ruud van Nistelrooy’s record.
His goals fired Leicester to one of the greatest sporting achievements of all time, the 2016 Premier League title. That season, he netted 24 goals, won the FWA Footballer of the Year award, and was crowned the Premier League Player of the Season.
In the following years, Vardy continued to deliver. He scored over 20 goals in multiple campaigns, reached 100 Premier League goals, and in 2019–20 won the Golden Boot at the age of 33, becoming the oldest player to achieve the feat.
He also lifted the FA Cup in 2021 to complete a dream career that spanned both domestic and European competitions. By 2025, Vardy had made 500 appearances and scored 200 goals for Leicester City. His final game was on 18 May 2025, exactly 13 years after he first signed, scoring in front of the home crowd before receiving a standing ovation.
Jamie Vardy’s Current Club
Jamie Vardy, the former Leicester City striker, is now playing in Italy with Serie A side Cremonese. The veteran forward completed his move on 1 September 2025, joining on a free transfer after leaving the Premier League.
He agreed to a one-year contract, with the option of an additional season, depending on his performance. Vardy’s arrival was seen as a major boost for Cremonese, who recently earned promotion and are looking to stay competitive at the top level of Italian football.
Known for his sharp finishing, relentless pressing, and ability to stretch defences, he brings valuable experience to the squad. The Englishman made his first appearance for Cremonese on 15 September 2025, coming off the bench in an away fixture against Hellas Verona. The game ended 0-0, but his introduction added pace and energy in the final minutes. Fans are hopeful he will guide the team through the season.
Jamie Vardy’s International Career with England
Jamie Vardy’s rise from non-league football to becoming a Premier League star with Leicester City also earned him recognition on the international stage with England.
His first call-up was in May 2015 when manager Roy Hodgson included him in the squad for a friendly against the Republic of Ireland and a Euro 2016 qualifier against Slovenia.
Vardy made his England debut on 7 June 2015, coming on as a late substitute for Wayne Rooney in a goalless draw in Dublin. Only a few months later, he featured in England’s qualifying campaign, starting in the 6–0 victory over San Marino.
His first goal for England arrived on 26 March 2016, when he cleverly flicked home a back-heel against Germany in a memorable 3–2 away triumph. Just days later, he found the net again, opening the scoring against the Netherlands at Wembley.
Vardy’s most memorable moment in Euro 2016 was his equaliser against Wales, coming shortly after he entered the pitch, which helped England overturn the game and win 2–1.
He was later selected for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, though he was mainly used as a substitute, starting only the final group match against Belgium.
England went on to reach the semi-finals, their best World Cup performance since 1990. In August 2018, Vardy decided to step back from international football, telling Gareth Southgate he would only be available in case of an injury crisis.
Jamie Vardy’s Personal Life
Before turning professional footballer, Vardy worked as a technician making medical splints while playing in non-League football. In 2007, after an incident outside a pub, he received an assault conviction and had to wear an electronic tag for six months, even limiting his playing time for Stocksbridge Park Steels due to a strict curfew.
Vardy’s career has also seen moments of controversy. In 2015, a video emerged of him using a racial slur in a casino. He later apologised, describing it as a “regrettable error of judgment.” Leicester City fined him and enrolled him in an educational programme.
On a personal level, Vardy met Rebekah Nicholson in 2014, and the couple married in May 2016 at Peckforton Castle in Cheshire. They have three children together, and Vardy has another daughter from a previous relationship.
He is also the stepfather to two of Rebekah’s children. Away from family life, Vardy has been active in football development. In 2015, he launched the V9 Academy, a training camp giving non-League players the chance to impress professional scouts.
That same year, Stocksbridge Park Steels honoured him by naming their main stand after him, while Walkers Crisps released a limited “Vardy Salted” flavour to celebrate his goal-scoring run.
Vardy’s story even caught Hollywood’s attention, with a biopic script written about his journey from non-League football to Premier League stardom. He has also served as an ambassador for Dorothy Goodman School in Leicestershire, supporting children with special needs.
In 2021, he expanded into football ownership by acquiring a minority stake in Rochester Rhinos, later renamed Rochester New York FC. Although the club ceased operations in 2023.
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Jamie Vardy’s Current Net Worth
Jamie Vardy’s current net worth in 2025 is estimated at around £58.24 million, built through an exceptional football career, lucrative wages, and smart financial choices.n After over a decade at the top level, Vardy has become one of football’s most inspiring rags-to-riches success stories.
During his peak years at Leicester City, Vardy earned up to £160,000 per week between 2017 and 2021, with annual salaries exceeding £8 million. In his later years at Leicester, his wages were about £80,000 a week, still a strong income before his contract ended in June 2024.
Following this, Vardy moved to Serie A side Cremonese, continuing his career abroad. His career earnings grew steadily, from modest Championship paydays to becoming a Premier League Golden Boot winner and key figure in Leicester’s unforgettable 2015/16 title triumph and their FA Cup win in 2021.
Off the pitch, Vardy has boosted his wealth through endorsements and business ventures.
Kenneth is a an avid soccer follower, fan and writer. He is a consistent follower of the sport and is a fan of Chelsea FC.