If you have not been watching European soccer in the past nine months, you have missed one of the most stunning sport seasons in a generation.
A bit of explanation would help for anyone not familiar with the soccer system in Europe. Each country has its own league(s) with about 20 teams each and a promotion-relegation system. This system sends the worst teams from the top flight to the second flight, and the best teams from the second flight to the top. The five most watched leagues in the world, also known as the “Big Five,” are the Barclays Premier League in England, La Liga in Spain, the Bundesliga in Germany, Serie A in Italy and Ligue 1 in France.
Leicester is a city in the center of England, and their club is Leicester City. Leicester was promoted to the Premier League for the 2014-15 season, but their first season was almost disastrous. With nine games remaining in the season, they were in last place. However, the team managed to win eight out of those last nine games to stave off relegation.
Most respected journalists thought they would be relegated, and betting sites gave the club 5000-1 odds to win the Premier League. Despite these beliefs, on May 2, Leicester won the title when it became impossible for any club to overtake them in the standings.
Some perspective on how unlikely their season has been, in the other four of the “Big Five” leagues, the champions were Barcelona in Spain, Bayern Munich in Germany, Juventus in Italy and Paris Saint-Germain in France. All four of these are repeat champions, and Juventus, Bayern Munich and PSG’s wins meant that all three teams won their domestic league for the fourth consecutive year.
Another factor in Leicester’s shock title was the emergence of previously unrecognized players who became stars over the course of the season. For example, in 2006, then 19-year old Jamie Vardy worked in a factory. Flash forward to 2016, and 29-year old Jamie Vardy finished his season with 24 goals, and the Football Writers’ Association player of the year award.
The team’s other star, Algerian Riyad Mahrez, won the Professional Footballers’ Association player of the year award with 17 goals and 11 assists. Just two years before, Mahrez was struggling with the Ligue two (the second tier of the French League) side Le Havre.
The team is full of unproven prospects, forgotten veterans, and middling talent, all of whom banded together to create the most surprising season in the history of English football. Next season, Leicester will be playing in the Champions League alongside the likes of Juventus, Bayern and PSG.
Many critics cite domination by the rich, the corruption within FIFA, and soccer players’ poor reputations as divers as reasons to not watch professional soccer. However, the aesthetic beauty of soccer, combined with the unpredictability of each game, makes the sport a spectacle unlike any other.
