The career trajectory of Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy is the stuff of dreams…or Hollywood movies, and the latter is exactly where his story is being talked about right now, with film-maker Adrian Butchart considering making a film about the Englishman’s meteoric rise.
Jamie Vardy made Premier League history by becoming the first player to score in 11 consecutive matches, breaking Dutchman Ruud van Nistelrooy’s record (10) this weekend. What made the record even more special was the fact that he scored the record-breaking goal against Manchester United — van Nistelrooy’s old club.
However, what makes Vardy’s story really interesting is the fact that till around 2012, he was playing non-league (semi-professional) football at Fleetwood Town, before catching the then Championship club Leicester City’s eye.
Adrian Butchart, who wrote the screenplay of the famous football movie ‘Goal!’ and its sequel, has said that he is interested in charting Vardy’s career trajectory on the big screen.
a Ita s the kind of story that if we made it up, people wouldna t believe it,” Butchart was quoted saying in The Sun. a His achievements are incredible and to break the Premier League record with such a sublime goal against the biggest club in football pushed him to the top of our agenda.
a Ita s amazing to think he was playing non league football and making medical splints for a living until so recently before breaking the record. It is the kind of role actors dream of.a
The stars who are being considered to play different roles in the movie are Robert Pattinson, Andrew Garfield, and Zac Efron.
Humble beginnings
When van Nistelrooy made the record of scoring in 10 consecutive matches for Manchester United, a 16-year-old Jamie Vardy was released by his hometown club Sheffield Wednesday.
However, Vardy never gave up, going on to move to non-league clubs Stocksbridge Park Steels, Halifax Town, and Fleetwood Town. During his time as a non-league football player, Vardy also sold medical splints to make ends meet.
However, it was at Fleetwood where he impressed the most, and was snapped up by the then championship club, Leicester City. There has been no looking back since then, as Vardy himself rose up the ranks of English football with Leicester City, and has now not only gone on to become the current highest Premier League scorer this season, but also taken Leicester to the second position in the most lucrative domestic league in the world.
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This rags-to-riches story is something that catches the eye of not just football fans, but also the general movie-goers, which is why it is no surprise that Butchart is considering making a movie on Vardy.