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Leicester City marked the perfect season by lifting the Premier League trophy at the King Power Stadium following their win over Everton.
After Tottenham dropped points at Chelsea the Foxes knew they would be crowned Premier League champions in front of their home fans.
It was the greatest day in the club’s 132-year history as Claudio Ranieri had guided his side to their first top flight title.
The celebrations began early on Saturday but one of the highlights came shortly before kick-off. Italian opera singer and friend of Ranieri’s, Andrea Bocelli, sang in front of a sell-out crowd at the King Power Stadium to kick-start an emotional day for the Foxes.
With the game underway it didn’t take long for the fans to be off their feet once again as Jamie Vardy marked his return to the starting eleven with a goal inside the first five minutes.
Fan favourite Andy King then got in on the action to double Leicester’s lead, making a trademark run from the edge of the box to confidently strike the ball past Joel Robles.
King is the Foxes’ longest-serving player and has now won the League One, Championship and Premier League title with Leicester.
The league’s Golden Boot is still up for grabs and Vardy knew it, winning and converting a penalty in the second half after drawing a foul from Matthew Pennington.
Leicester’s top scorer had an opportunity to score a hat-trick later in the half after Jeffrey Schlupp was brought down in the box; the fourth penalty Everton had conceded against the Foxes this season.
The chance for Vardy to level with Harry Kane’s tally for the season loomed but he couldn’t take the opportunity, blazing the ball over the bar.
Everton did manage to pull a goal back late on but the game was already won when substitute Kevin Mirallas scored an excellent solo goal.
Another bonus for Ranieri’s men is that Tottenham lost at home to Southampton, meaning the gap at the top of the Premier League stretched to ten points.
The jubilation began to grow after the full-time whistle as captain Wes Morgan and Ranieri raised the trophy amongst a mass of fireworks and confetti; completing Leicester’s dream season.
Even the fringe players attended the King Power Stadium to join in the celebrations including Yohan Benalouane who is currently on loan at Fiorentina, alongside Ritchie De Laet who collected his Premier League winners’ medal hours after receiving a runners-up medal for Middlesbrough’s promotion from the Championship.
The joy was showing most on the face of Ranieri who for so long had gone close to winning league titles without completing the achievement.
In the most fitting end to the season Ranieri and Leicester will receive the Guard of Honour at Stamford Bridge when they face Chelsea on the final day, where the Italian was sacked in 2004.
