Fans have been buzzing on social media after witnessing a hilarious and unexpected moment involving Leicester City legend Jamie Vardy during their Premier League match against Southampton.
The match, played on a sunny Saturday afternoon at the King Power Stadium, featured two sides already relegated from the top flight. Although the stakes were low in terms of the league table, the game still managed to serve up a moment of pure Vardy entertainment.
The 37-year-old forward opened the scoring just 17 minutes into the game, putting the Foxes ahead with a clinical finish—his trademark style that has thrilled Leicester fans for over a decade. His goal was met with raucous applause, and the fans hoped it would be one of many in what could be his final appearance for the club.
However, what truly lit up social media was an incident that occurred just three minutes later. In an unusual twist, referee David Webb was accidentally knocked to the ground after colliding with Leicester’s Jordan Ayew. The official appeared to take a shoulder to the face and remained on the turf, clutching his head in pain.
While players and staff showed concern, Vardy saw the lighter side. With the referee still down, Vardy walked over, picked up the whistle, and cheekily blew it himself. The crowd erupted in laughter, and cameras captured the iconic striker grinning as he played the role of match official. It was classic Jamie Vardy—mischievous, unpredictable, and effortlessly entertaining.
BBC Sport, reporting live on the game, wrote: “Jamie Vardy did run over to the ref while he was on the turf and blew his whistle. Not something you see every week in the Premier League.”
Fans quickly took to social media to react to the veteran striker’s antics. One supporter wrote, “Jamie Vardy never change. Sad to see him leave at the end of the season.” Another added, “Vardy being Vardy.”
Others chimed in with similar sentiments:
- “Grabbing the referee’s whistle to stop the game—more vintage Jamie Vardy!”
- “Jamie Vardy, iconic.”
- “This is peak Vardy.”
- “Jordan Ayew cleans out the ref and Jamie Vardy gets his whistle and blows it.”
The moment only added to the cult-like status Vardy enjoys among Leicester fans and neutrals alike.
Unfortunately for referee Webb, the collision forced him to leave the match. After assessment, it was determined that he could not continue, and fourth official Sam Barrott was brought on to take charge for the remainder of the game.
Speaking about Vardy’s earlier goal, former England and Chelsea midfielder Fara Williams praised the striker’s quality on BBC Radio 5 Live, saying: “Somebody like Jamie Vardy, his goal record at the club is unbelievable. It’s been a wait, but what a wait. The goal is an unbelievable finish. He’ll be thinking he can go on and get his 200th Leicester goal in this game.”
Whether or not Vardy hits that milestone remains to be seen, but his ability to entertain—both with the ball and with his personality—remains unmatched. Even in the twilight of his career, the striker continues to prove why he’s one of the most beloved and charismatic figures in English football.
