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It still sounds weird to say over a decade on that Esteban Cambiasso played for Leicester City.
Shockwaves were sent around the world when one of football’s most-decorated players of all time swapped the city of Milan for the East Midlands when he was confirmed as Leicester’s latest signing.
At the time, the Foxes had just returned to the top flight after a 10-year absence following their Championship title win.
Cambiasso played for one season and was instrumental in the famous Great Escape season. He then left the season before Leicester defied all odds to win the Premier League but is still a cult hero.
However, not everyone in the club got on with the Argentine.
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Jamie Vardy felt Esteban Cambiasso ‘undermined’ Wes Morgan
Jamie Vardy is and will always be Mr Leicester City.
Immortalised in the club’s history forever, Vardy left Leicester in 2025 after 13 years at the club.
He played with several stars but at the time, Cambiasso was as big as they come.
Despite the two playing together, enjoying plenty of happy moments, the club legend revealed that he felt that Cambiasso was trying to ‘take over’.
In an extract from his autobiography, From Nowhere, he said: “Esteban was clearly a great player, and I don’t think any of us had a problem with a big name coming in, but we didn’t appreciate someone trying to take over and that’s how it felt at times with him.
“Wes was the skipper and bloody brilliant at the job, but suddenly he was being undermined by someone who hadn’t been at the club long.”
The reason why Esteban Cambiasso joined Leicester City
The fact that the Foxes even managed to convince Cambiasso to talk to him, let alone sign for them, is testament to how good that deal was.
Playing in the Premier League was an obvious goal for one of football’s most decorated players, but there was more to it.
He told Sky Sports in 2014: “I think Leicester City has this winning mentality. When you have been in the Premier League for maybe nine or 10 years, maybe you have another mentality. But you are promoted to the Premier League it’s because you have been winning matches.
“The mentality of my team-mates is to win because last year they needed to win most of their matches to go up.
“I like their quality. It doesn’t matter what league you are in, it is never easy to win the championship. The reason they won the title last season is because they have quality.”