Leicester City’s Greatest Premier League XI

Leicester City are in their fourth spell in the Premier League and were miraculously winners of England’s top tier in 2015/16 under Claudio Ranieri.

After a single season in the Premier League in 1994/95, Martin O’Neill led the Foxes back to thepromised land through the Division One play-offs in 1995/96 thanks to a 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace.

He then saw his side lift the League Cup twice in 1997 and 2000 with wins over Middlesbrough and Tranmere Rovers respectively.

After relegation in 2002 they returned immediately for the 2003/04 campaign before dropping down as low as League One during a difficult period for the club.

But after Nigel Pearson led the Foxes back into the top flight, they completed an incredible ‘Great Escape’ in 2014/15 before following that with the famous title-winning campaign.

Five of the key men from that champion squad have made it into our Greatest Leicester City Premier League XI (3-4-3), with additions from Martin O’Neill’s squad of the late 90s.

Kasper Schmeichel

The Danish shot-stopper was a hero during Leicester’s title-winning campaign and put in a series of world-class performances again during the season just gone.

He recently picked up the club’s Player of the Season award for the second time after coming to the Foxes’ rescue on multiple occasions as the last line of defence and his heroics earned him the No.1 jersey ahead of Kasey Keller

(Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)

Steve Walsh

Walsh made over 300 appearances for the Foxes and skippered them to League Cup glory at Hillsborough in 1997, earning man-of-the-match honours and setting up Steve Claridge for the eventual winner.

Walsh led City to the League Cup final again in 1999 but missed out on the 2000 showpiece at Wembley as Matt Elliott scored twice against Tranmere.

Matt Elliott

Elliott was an uncompromising rock at the heart of City’s defence throughout much of their success in the Premier League under O’Neill.

A strong leader, he became synonymous with the Foxes’ bruising style of play and confirmed cult hero status by scoring both goals in the 2000 League Cup final victory over Tranmere at Wembley.

Wes Morgan

Morgan is surely guaranteed his place in any all-time Leicester XI after leading them in their greatest-ever season.

A captain willing to throw himself in front of any shot, the Jamaican international was instrumental to their Premier League title win.

Riyad Mahrez

Bought from French side Le Havre, Riyad Mahrez was the club’s and the PFA Player of the Year during their title-winning campaign as he scored 17 goals and provided 11 assists in an historic season.

Mahrez offered flair and creativity in spades, the like of which had rarely lit up either the King Power Stadium or Filbert Street before.

N’Golo Kante

If Mahrez was the ingenious magician, then the Algerian’s fellow title-winning midfielder N’Golo Kante was the complete opposite – industrious and combative.

There was no pass that Kante could not intercept for Claudio Ranieri’s men, he was everywhere and offered vital protection to the back four.

He was also lightning quick at turning defence into attack, an outlet the Foxes used regularly to counter-attack teams who would often dominate possession.

(Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)

Muzzy Izzet

Signed from Chelsea after impressing on loan with the Foxes, Izzet went on to make over 250 appearances for the club between 1996 and 2004, regularly contributing important goals.

The Turkish talisman’s volley against Tottenham in the 1998/99 season lives long in the memory for those at Filbert Street on that day and he helped Leicester to four straight top-ten finishes in the Premier League.

Neil Lennon

Neil Lennon was a key part of O’Neill’s Leicester midfield alongside Izzet, Robbie Savage and Steve Guppy –  and the latter two could easily have made this team.

An industrious engine-roomer, Lennon made over 150 appearances for the Foxes before following O’Neill to Celtic in 2000.

Stu Forster/Allsport

Steve Claridge

Claridge sealed Leicester City’s place in the Premier League with his 1996 play-off final strike against Palace and went onto to be a key cog in keeping them there.

Despite being considered the archetypal journeyman, he followed that memorable, potentially shinned, goal with the winner in the 1997 League Cup Final replay against Middlesbrough to further etch his name into Foxes folklore.

Jamie Vardy

Jamie Vardy’s rise from non-league football to Premier League winner is well-documented but that doesn’t make it any less astounding.

With his deceptive pace and diesel engine, the England striker scored an incredible 24 goals – and made six assists – in City’s title-winning season.

(Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

Emile Heskey

Finally, there’s a place for another England striker, Emile Heskey, who came through the ranks at Leicester – scoring 40 goals for the club in 154 league appearances – before moving to Liverpool.

The powerful, and oft-maligned, forward scored ten goals in back-to-back Premier League campaigns – 1996-97 and 1997-98 – before he eventually left to join Liverpool for a then-club record £11m.

Honourable mentions: Kasey Keller, Esteban Cambiasso, Danny Drinkwater, Robbie Savage, Steve Guppy, Marc Albrighton, Christian Fuchs