Jamie Vardy has made history by becoming the first English footballer to win Serie A’s Player of the Month award.
The Leicester legend, who left the King Power in the summer to begin a new chapter in Italy with Serie A club Cremonese, has been named November’s winner of the award, which is determined by a fan vote combined with ‘individual statistical data’.
Despite being honoured with the gong, Vardy only scored once in the league during November, netting in Cremonese’s 2-1 defeat against Juventus, and lost all three of the matches he played in.
On December 1, he bagged his first brace for the Italian club against Bologna and has since helped them climb into the top half of the table with successive wins for the first time this season.
After Vardy’s double against Bologna, Cremonese coach Davide Nicola revealed that the former England international, 38, is persisting with his unique eating habits in Italy.
His diet, according to Vardy in a 2022 interview, includes unexpected foodstuffs including cheese and ham omelettes, pizza, coffee, port and Red Bull.
Jamie Vardy has become the first English footballer to win Serie A’s Player of the Month award
The former Leicester City star and his family are in the process of adjusting to life in Italy
Sharing that Vardy prepares his own breakfast at the training ground, he told Portuguese outlet Record: ‘We have individualised meals for everyone, whether it’s breakfast or dinner. There’s no longer a fixed menu for everyone.
‘Cultures are different, needs too, even because of allergies. Everyone has their own personal menu. I don’t control that kind of thing, as it’s part of the players’ lives. They usually eat here two or three times, sometimes even for dinner.’
Vardy’s long-running routine has been a point of interest since he lifted the lid on his pre-match habits during an interview with Sky Sports.
‘I wake up in the morning and then [have a] Red Bull. Literally I get out of bed, get the kids up and downstairs, get their breakfast sorted and then I’m straight into the Red Bull,’ he said.
He added that he follows it with coffee before having ‘my cheese and ham omelette with another can of Red Bull’.
The forward also revealed that he previously drank port before matches, writing that ‘it helps me switch off and get to sleep a bit easier the night before a game’.
Explaining the decision to honour Vardy with the gong, Serie A said in a statement on Thursday: ‘The EA SPORTS FC Player Of The Month award for November has been assigned to Cremonese player Jamie Vardy.
‘The fans’ votes online, combined with individual statistical data, determined Jamie Vardy as the winner, beating champions like (Mike) Maignan, Lautaro Martinez, (David) Neres, (Leo) Ostigard, (Nicolo) Zaniolo.
Vardy’s wife Rebekah has been a frequent fixture in the stands since relocating this summer
Despite being honoured with the gong, Vardy only scored once in the league during November
Cremonese coach Davide Nicola revealed that the former England international, 38, is persisting with his unique eating habits in Italy
Vardy was described by the Serie A CEO Luigi De Siervo of arriving ‘from another era’
Since moving to Italy, Rebekah has been forced to content with a break-in robbery at their new home on Lake Garda
‘The six best players of the month have been selected, taking into account the advanced analysis of Kama Sport, created from the tracking data recorded with the Hawk-Eye system. The rating system considers not only statistical data and technical events, but also positional data.
‘This makes it possible to analyse crucial aspects such as movement without the ball and thus optimal movements, game choices, and the contribution to the technical and physical efficiency of the team, which allow for an objective and qualitative evaluation of the performance.’
Luigi De Siervo, CEO of Serie A, added: ‘Jamie Vardy is truly a player from another era. One of those talents who, with their history, their achievements and the indomitable spirit with which they live every match, best express the romance of football.
‘His arrival at Cremonese, who were quick to seize the opportunity this summer, was greeted with great enthusiasm by all Serie A fans, and Vardy is repaying them with top-level performances, innate leadership and important goals, the result of the competitive spirit and shooting skills that have always distinguished him.’
Dining and Cooking