‘The bookmakers considered it more likely the Loch Ness Monster would appear or that Bono would be elected Pope’ Leicester City legend Claudio Ranieri reveals the key player to 2016 title win - European Football

Leicester City began their title-winning season in 2015/16 with 5000-1 odds of lifting the trophy.

It’s probably the biggest swing from unfancied to champions we’ll ever see in the English top flight, and it’s still spoken about to this day for that very reason.

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The former Foxes boss believes one player was crucial to the title win

“Apparently the bookmakers were offering 5000-1 on us winning the title,” Ranieri tells FourFourTwo now, “and considered it more likely that aliens would land, the Loch Ness Monster would appear, that Elvis Presley was still alive, or that Bono would be elected as Pope.

“I know this because somebody told me – I don’t read newspapers, so I didn’t even realise.”

May 29, 2021

What met the Italian on his arrival was, he felt, a well-drilled side left by predecessor Nigel Pearson, with players in great shape.

It’s unlikely Ranieri had designs on top spot at that stage, but already he was noticing talent beyond mere relegation battlers.

“I watched several matches and led the first training sessions,” he said. “I immediately realised that Riyad Mahrez starting from the right and cutting inside on to his left foot could be extremely dangerous. On the opposite flank I put Marc Albrighton, who usually played on the right and delivered plenty of crosses, but from the left he too could cut inside and shoot.

“Danny Drinkwater and Andy King were the two players who provided solidity in midfield. I gradually placed Danny Simpson at right-back.”

As the manager was methodically putting together the pieces of his title-winning jigsaw, however, he soon clocked who the vital cog in the machine was going to be.