10 best moments from Leicester's improbable campaign
Leicester City's journey from the bottom to the top wasn't without incident. Besides the ways in which the Foxes won games - through tactical cohesion and familiarity, spirit and determination - there were also little quirks about this team. There was the imaginary bell, the pizza party, the free beer and doughnuts. The ride was as fun as it was unexpected.
The bookmakers never thought they'd have to pay out tens of millions of pounds to punters at 5,000-1 odds, but Leicester found glory after Tottenham's 2-2 draw with Chelsea. It is the culmination of a truly improbable campaign. Leicester was the people's champion, but is now the real deal. Folklore is written about this stuff.
Here are the most noteworthy moments from a season no one will soon forget:
Mourinho hugs his rival
Jose Mourinho and Claudio Ranieri were rivals for so long. Mourinho succeeded Ranieri at Chelsea in 2004, and won more than his predecessor ever did at Stamford Bridge. Then, in Italy, their teams jostled for the Serie A title. Mourinho prevailed again with Inter.
A phone call in 2011 ended the feud. That's when Ranieri took the Inter job, and Mourinho, who still loves the Nerazzurri, wished him luck.
They also embraced in December after Leicester's 2-1 win over Chelsea. Mourinho offered Ranieri his hand. Ranieri accepted, but still looked away when his nemesis hugged him. This was sweet victory, and finally the roles were reversed.
Ranieri buys the team pizza
It took 10 games for Leicester to earn its pizza pie. Ranieri promised his players he would take them out if they kept a clean sheet, and after a mighty struggle to keep the ball out of their net, they made good on the deal on Oct. 24 against Crystal Palace.
The pizza was a fun treat, and Ranieri turned it into a team-bonding exercise. The players didn't just sit there and wait to eat: they got up and made the it themselves.
Another 14 shutouts followed that celebration of food, so something certainly clicked.
Okazaki hops on his bicycle
(Courtesy: Premier League)
Shinji Okazaki said he doesn't practice overhead kicks. This one was just instinctive.
It was an outrageous effort from one of the more unassuming players on this Leicester squad, and it was taken perfectly. The wonder goal - Okazaki's first at the King Power Stadium - stood up as the winner in a 1-0 win over Newcastle United.
'Dilly ding, dilly dong'
Even during his earlier days in Italian football, Ranieri used an imaginary bell - "dilly ding, dilly dong!" - to wake up his players. His time at Leicester has been no different, and it has become a running joke at the club.
Ranieri gifted little bells to each of his players for Christmas, and the media in turn handed the affable manager one of his own during a press conference.
Jamie Vardy gets his own crisps
(Courtesy: Walkers)
Walkers gave Jamie Vardy the ultimate tribute by releasing a new flavour of crisps in his honour. Former Foxes striker Gary Linker earned his own "Salt N'Lineker" brand for his exploits with the club in the 1990s, and after Irish bookmaker Paddy Power launched an online petition, Vardy received the same vaunted recognition with 32,000 bags of "Vardy Salted" crisps.
Leicester makes the Earth move
Leicester has made a huge impact on the football world, but a last-minute winner against Norwich City produced a record of sheer force. As Foxes supporters celebrated the comeback victory, they caused a minor quake at a magnitude of 0.3. They named the event the "Vardy Quake," with 30,000 people roaring and jumping at the same time.
Owner celebrates birthday with free beer
Chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha treated Leicester fans to beers and doughnuts in commemorating not just the team, but his birthday. Singha Beer from his native Thailand was served before the match against Southampton on April 3, extending the already generous relationship between ownership and supporters.
The club offered drinks when Leicester earned promotion in May 2014, as well as for the final match of last season.
Vichai has proven his dedication to the club's cause since purchasing Leicester in 2010, wiping off the club's £103-million debt, and investing in the training facility.
Vardy strikes the perfect volley
After setting a Premier League record with goals in 11 straight games, Vardy set the Premier League on fire once again with a beautifully executed volley against Liverpool.
A long pass found Vardy on the run, and before striking a fierce shot past goalkeeper Simon Mignolet from long range, the 29-year-old waited just a split second for the ball to bounce just right.
It was one of the goals of the year, and further confirmed the quality of the former non-league player.
Foxes on the international stage
Vardy and Danny Drinkwater became the first two Leicester players to start for England in more than 40 years in a March 29 friendly against the Netherlands, a fitting celebration of two protagonists from the title-winning side.
Like the season itself, the first England call-up for Drinkwater "just sort of happened," he said.
'We're gonna win the league'
The actual feeling that Leicester could win its first title in 132 years truly manifested after the 1-0 result at Palace on March 19. The fans remained in the away section of Selhurst Park after the final whistle and chanted something no one thought possible: "We're gonna win the league."