Jamie Vardy has revealed that meeting his wife Rebekah completely changed his life and career. The 39-year-old former Leicester City striker admits he was struggling with the pressure of playing for a big club and drinking excessively until Rebekah, then his girlfriend, told him to "rein it in" or face consequences.
A Wake-Up Call
Rebekah, who was pregnant at the time, gave Vardy the ultimatum that curbed his partying. This led to a more disciplined and focused approach, helping him become a lethal striker and leading Leicester to the Premier League title in 2016. Reflecting on that moment, Vardy said: "I knew I could tell her anything, and it was never too much for her. What she was saying was right, it needed to stop. It really did. I needed to hear it."
First Meeting
In a new Netflix documentary, the couple recount their first meeting in 2014. Rebekah, then an event organiser in a nightclub, had no interest in dating Jamie. She helped arrange his 27th birthday party, but he arrived drunk and was carried out by friends. The next day, he began texting her persistently. Vardy said: "One of the first things I did as soon as I woke up was message her. She was good-looking. She had this aura about her. I legitimately thought 'that's the one'. I weren't letting it go."
Rebekah recalled: "Jamie keeps messaging me, and it was relentless. Then it was calling. I'd responded a couple of times going, 'Look, just forget about it'. But he just would not leave me alone." Eventually, she agreed to a date and was surprised by his sober personality. "The more I sat with him, the more I realised that actually behind this crazy, alcohol loving, wild party boy, was actually a guy that was really kind, was really good at listening, and he was really good to talk to."
Turning Point
The couple began dating, and Rebekah soon became pregnant. However, Vardy was still struggling with confidence and goals at Leicester, drinking heavily. Rebekah took matters into her own hands after he disappeared before a scan. With the help of his agent, she tracked him down to a pub and confronted him. She said: "I went 'you, me conversation now'. I just said to him, 'What is your deal? What is going on?' He really started to open up then about why he behaved the way he did."
Vardy admitted he felt pressure from Leicester's spending and doubted himself due to past rejections. Rebekah told him: "You are gonna screw everything up that you've worked so bloody hard for if you don't change your lifestyle choices. I'm not telling you to stop drinking. I'm just telling you to rein it in." This conversation acted as therapy for Vardy, and things turned around quickly.
Premier League Glory
Leicester were promoted to the Premier League six months later in 2014, and within two seasons they became champions in one of football's greatest underdog stories, with Vardy as the figurehead. Reflecting on his journey, Vardy said: "I couldn't tell you how I did it, how it happened, why it happened. It is crazy. But I know full well that working hard, never giving up, and having the right people supporting you... I come home, you've got a family that loves you, wants you to be the best that you can be. You become what you believe. I'm definitely proof of that."
New Ventures
Both Jamie and Rebekah are set to star in a new ITV reality series called The Vardys, focusing on his departure from Leicester after 13 years and moving to Italy with their four children to play for US Cremonese. The Netflix documentary UNTOLD UK: Jamie Vardy is released on May 12.
