Ever the man to speak his mind, Jamie Vardy is no exception in Italy. After departing Leicester City for Serie A outfit Cremonese this summer, the striker was officially presented in a setting that perfectly captured his new surroundings, Cremona’s renowned Museo del Violino.
After 13 years at Leicester City, where he scored 200 goals in 500 appearances, he took the next chapter of his career, agreeing to a one-year deal with Cremonese.
The recently promoted Serie A side had already begun their campaign strongly with victories over AC Milan and Sassuolo. He made his debut for the club, coming on in the 58th minute during a 0–0 draw with Hellas Verona.
Vardy’s presence was noticeable, even though he had limited touches, and supporters are eager to see what the seasoned forward will produce in the upcoming matches.
Cremona is celebrated worldwide as the home of historic violin makers like Stradivari and Guarneri, and the museum houses violins that are centuries old.
Jamie Vardy: “I just couldn’t get my head round it at all”
For Vardy, the fact that these violins, dating from the 1500s and 1600s, appeared almost brand new was almost impossible to grasp. Speaking to The Athletic’s James Horncastle in The New York Times’ Serie A Briefing, he said:
“One thing I couldn’t get my head round was there are violins upstairs that are from the 15 and 1600s and they look brand new. Physically I just couldn’t get my head round it at all. And then finding out after that they need playing once a week just to keep the strings all having the same sound… it’s frightening…”
The setting was intentional. Cremona prides itself on its musical legacy, and the Violin Museum’s collection is maintained so that the instruments not only endure but are performed in special shows to preserve their sound.
That left Vardy both amused and astounded. What locals see as a point of cultural pride, he found astonishing, and in true Vardy fashion, he had to comment on it.
Fans have already embraced it. The nickname “StradiVardy” is circulating, a nod to Cremona’s violins and their new striker. For Leicester supporters watching from afar, it’s another reminder of Vardy’s blunt honesty. Cremonese fans now understand that they’ve signed not only a prolific goalscorer but also a personality who will bring plenty of character to Serie A.
At the same presentation, the 39-year-old expressed his desire to “prove the doubters wrong,” emphasized that “age is just a number,” and insisted he still feels physically capable with no signs of slowing down.