Thousands turn out as Leicester City parade the EPL trophy

For two weeks since Claudio Ranieri’s side were crowned one the unlikely champions of English football history, the city of Leicester hasn’t stop celebrating and the party climaxed beneath sunny skies 24 hours after the Foxes finished their campaign with a draw at Chelsea.

After starting the season as 5,000-1 outsiders for the title, Leicester defied the odds in stunning fashion and being hailed by a crowd of over 100,000 was a fitting finale for Ranieri’s squad. “The city is here. It’s something special. I’m very glad,” Ranieri said. 

Fans began congregating hours before the scheduled start of the parade as they packed streets along the route and massed at Victoria Park, where cheerleaders and a gospel choir provided the entertainment on a stage set up to welcome the players at the end of the parade. 

Thousands of the partying hoards came decked out in the team’s blue home shirts, while hundreds of blue and white flags were waved by children with their faces painted in the club colours. With the streets so tightly packed, some brave fans clambered onto rooftops to get a better view and others hung out of windows to salute their heroes.

“My lad lives in Manchester and he asked me if Leicester would ever win the Premier League and I said ‘not in my lifetime’,” one fan said. The first sightings of the blue open-top buses carrying the Leicester squad drew roars of delight from the ecstatic crowd.

“It’s crazy. We knew there was going to be a good turnout but this is something else,” Albrighton said. “Seeing a celebration like this will live with us forever.”