Jamie Vardy: Playing for England is 'unbelievable'

Jamie Vardy’s rise through the ranks has certainly been rapid. 

While England built up for Euro 2012, Vardy was banging the goals in for Fleetwood Town in the Conference Premier. The former Stocksbridge Park Steels and Halifax Town striker scored 34 in 40 outings for the Cod Army that season. 

No wonder then that as Roy Hodgson prepared for his first game in charge of the Three Lions in May 2012, Leicester City swooped for Vardy and took him to the Championship.

And though he has since made an impact for the Foxes in the Premier League, enough to earn him a place in Hodgson’s last three squads, Vardy admits that the moved from Highbury to the King Power Stadium is the biggest leap he has made in football. 

“The first season after I stepped out of non-League, if I’m honest, was a struggle and I did get doubts in my head,” said the Yorkshireman, who was released by boyhood club Sheffield Wednesday at 16. 

“But the manager at the time, Nigel Pearson, had a nice chat with me and told me it was exactly where I belonged. 

“It made me try even harder and in the second season we got promoted and I chipped in with a few goals.” 

Even after settling to life in Leicester, where in three seasons he has chalked up over 30 goals, Vardy could hardly dream of a chance in international football. 

But that is where he finds himself. The hard-working, live-wire forward notched five in his first season in the Premier League and has already overtaken that this campaign. 

Vardy set up Sterling's goal on his Wembley debut

Now he is in Hodgson’s England squad yet again, and looking for his fourth cap when they take on Lithuania in Vilnius for their final Euro 2016 Qualifier on Monday.And he puts his progress down to sheer hard work. 

“Probably not until the first time I was called up, did I think I’d play for England," he said. 

"Obviously at every stage I’ve stepped up I wasn’t expecting it to happen, but it did and I made sure I worked hard to keep there. And the steps have just kept coming and I need to keep that going. 

“The secret is just lots and lots of hard work and the motivation that this is exactly what I want to be doing. 

“As long as I put the work in all the way to the training field, or even if it’s just in the back garden at home, it needs to be done to make sure you better yourself and you can make that transition and the step up.” 

Since making his debut for England away against Ireland in June, Vardy has been called up by Hodgson for the final four games of the qualification campaign. 

Vardy has been in Roy Hodgson's last three squads

He started the night the Three Lions clinched their place in France, with a 6-0 over San Marino, then on Friday he came on against Estonia for his first appearance at Wembley, and set up the second goal for Raheem Sterling as England won 2-0. 

And now, with the Finals on the horizon next summer, the 28-year-old pace man is hoping he can keep scoring goals and playing well so he can earn his place in the 23 who cross the channel. 

“It's another step up from what I've been doing. For anyone who plays for England it's an absolute honour. It's as simple as that,” he said. 

“Putting the shirt on knowing that you are playing for your country, especially with the hard work I have had to get there, it's an unbelievable feeling. 

"But as soon as I step over the white line it is simply another match.” 

Vardy added: “No one can take their place for granted. It's all up to me. If I want to be in that squad I've got to keep banging in the goals. 

“I need to make sure I stay in the manager's plans, and if I've done that come summer we'll see.”

England's next home game is at Wembley Stadium on Tuesday 17 November, against Euro 2016 hosts France. You can get tickets online now via www.TheFA.com/tickets