A biography for Jamie Vardyhasn’t been written yet.
“When you are moulding 30 an hour, it takes its toll on your body. It got to the point where my back was just hanging off. It was time to say, 'I can't do this any more'.”
“You do get a chance to think about things when you're at home, but that is when you want to relax and forget about football for a bit. Honestly, you don't really get time to stop and think about things. We have a job to do. That is all we concentrate on, going game by game.”
“My life has changed, but I'm not money-motivated at all; that's the last thing on my mind. I just want to play football, and that's how I've always been.”
“When training and matches are finished, we'll all go out and have food together; we're always in touch with each other.”
“Being in the Premier League would be a dream come true.”
“If you go into a tournament thinking that you're not going to do anything, you might as well not be there because you won't achieve anything.”
“Confidence is sky high, but we're also all very grounded. We know, in football, nothing can be taken for granted.”
“Fitness has always been one of my strengths. I can do all the long-distance runs. When I was at school and we entered the competitions, I used to do the 100m, 200m, and the 1500m as well, so it's never just been a pace thing.”
“If I go in the gym, it will slow me down. I don't go in for weights or anything like that. Each and every person is different, and this is my way, and I'm sure if someone else tried doing what I do, then it probably wouldn't work for them.”
“You hear players in the past say that it's just a job for them, but for me, it is nothing like that. I literally wish I could play football every day.”
“I pinch myself every day anyway. Everyone knows the road I have had in the game and how I have managed to get myself to where I am today.”
“My diet is not unorthodox. I just eat like anyone else - that's just how I am. Everyone is different. It is just my metabolism that keeps me this slim.”
“I am so proud of what I've achieved personally, but without the lads around me, nothing would have been possible.”
“Competition for places can only benefit you. If you know you've got that much competition, then you're just going to have to work that extra bit harder so you can catch the gaffer's eye.”
“I love a good paella, so I'd love to be able to know how to cook one.”
“Everyone works hard for each other, and if we're having an off day, everyone else is there to pick things up.”
“For Secret Santa a few years ago, I bought one of the lads I used to play with a block of cheese.”
“If I'm played out of position, I'll always give 100%, but everyone knows I would rather play down the middle.”
“It wasn't nice having to work full-time. It's a rise that I wouldn't have predicted, but it's a good example for younger players of what can be achieved.”
“On a real course, I'd probably want to throw my club in the water if I hit a duff shot. I'll give golf a miss - it's definitely not my sport.”