Leicester City Beats 5000-1 Odds, Wins England's Premier League Title

Last night, when Chelsea, the defending English Premier League (in soccer) champion...disappointed at their status in the middle of the standings this year...nevertheless got to play the spoiler and fought to a 2-2 draw with second-place Tottenham, the result mathematically assured first-place Leicester City of the league's championship.  In England, as in most of the countries in Europe, there are no playoffs after the regular season: the top finisher IS the champion...

In 2013-14, Leicester City, nicknamed the "Foxes", weren't even in the Premier League: they then played in the second-level Football League Championship.  They won that league's title that year and were promoted into the Premier League the following season.  But as late as April, 2015, Leicester was mired deep in 20th and last place in the standings, almost certainly guaranteeing that they would be relegated back to the lower league the following year.  Instead, they suddenly got hot and won seven of their last nine games, moving considerably higher in the standings and able to remain in the top league.  For this 2015-16 season, an established coach was hired, Italian Claudio Ranieri, and he further enhanced the team's culture of winning.  From the start, the Foxes shot straight up to the top of the standings, spurred on largely with the goal-scoring performance of striker Jamie Vardy.  Eventually, the high-powered offense cooled off and it looked in mid-season as if Arsenal, a London team, would catch up and pass them.  But then Arsenal went into a small slump and Leicester City transformed itself into a strong defensive team, winning several low-scoring matches.  By season's end, it was only Tottenham, another London team, with a chance to catch them.  And yesterday's draw with Chelsea...a third London team (actually, there are currently five London teams in the Premier League)...handed the title to the Foxes...

Outside the United States, the Leicester City championship is a major, major news story.  Inside our borders, it's still a big sports story...at least to anyone with an interest in soccer.  To be deeply in last place just the year before, make an unexpected season-end turnaround, and then win it all the next year is incredible!  Congratulations, Leicester City!