Thierry Henry. Ian Wright. Alan Shearer. Ruud van Nistelrooy.
That’s a list of some of the Premier League’s greatest-ever goalscorers, and all names Jamie Vardy has passed in the record books.
With his goal against Watford today, Leicester City’s Jamie Vardy extended his scoring streak to nine straight Premier League matches. He is the first player to score in nine consecutive matches in a single season in league history.
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The all-time record is held by Van Nistelrooy, who scored in ten straight matches in 2003. That streak came over the span of two seasons, ending one year on an eight-game run before scoring in the opening two matches of the next campaign.
However, Van Nistelrooy was scoring with a legendary Manchester United side, while Vardy is doing it with a team that many had penned for relegation at the beginning of the season.
What makes Vardy’s run even more impressive, is that just three years ago he was playing non-league football. In 2012, Vardy was playing for Fleetwood Town in Conference Premier, England’s fifth division. After scoring 34 goals in 40 appearances, he earned himself a contract with Leicester City, who were in the Championship at the time.
Compare that to Ruud van Nistelrooy, widely considered one of the greatest goalscorers of his generation. The Dutchman scored more than 300 goals in his career, with Golden Boot-winning seasons in the Eredivisie, Premier League, and Champions League.
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Last season, Vardy managed just five goals in 34 league appearances for Leicester. This year, he already has 12 through 12 games. The next highest scorer has seven.
Vardy made his England debut in June, but is yet to score in his four appearances for the Three Lions. With upcoming friendlies against Spain and France, he surely should have earned himself a starting spot in Roy Hodgson’s side. If his run of form can carry over to the national team, he may become a hero outside of just Leicester.
