Ritchie De Laet enjoyed working with Jamie Vardy at Leicester City. The defender, now active for Royal Antwerp, played at the King Power Stadium between 2012 and 2016 and became good friends with the striker. In conversation with The newspapaer De Laet explains some anecdotes about Vardy’s special lifestyle and tells about a bizarre action by Marcin Wasilewski in a restaurant.
De Laet returned to his old club Royal Antwerp in 2019 and was visited by Vardy in Belgium. He took the star player to ‘real Belgian chip shop’. “He loved that. His favorite snack was a boulet (Liège meatball, ed.) With stew sauce and a good blob of mayonnaise.” In addition, he introduced Vardy to Belgian beer. The Englishman was soon convinced. “In the long run my parents or friends who came to England had to take an entire order. A few bins in the trunk and sir was satisfied. As a professional you know when it is possible and certainly when it is not possible. But he’s the exception par excellence. On the night before the match, he can hoist pints and eat pizza and still be there. “
In November 2015, Vardy was preparing for a potentially historic game: he could score against Manchester United for the eleventh Premier League game in a row, breaking a record held by Ruud van Nistelrooij. “Well, the night before we were in the room together. We even had a ritual. The bus driver had to buy a bottle of Porto and hide it in our room. I had a small glass, he took care of the rest of the bottle. “says De Laet. “The next day that record was his. What a guy. Really a top guest. Another thing: do you know what we drank in the dressing room after our Championship title? Champagne? None of that. Skittles vodka! He had brewed it at home. With those sweets.
De Laet also became friends with defender Wasilewski, who had already played for Anderlecht between 2007 and 2013 and thus, like De Laet, had a history in Belgium. He calls the Pole a ‘blissful guest’. “One evening we went with the boys to a fancy restaurant with all the trimmings. A really chic place. Suddenly, from nowhere, Marcin bites a piece out of his wine glass and starts chewing it. Five minutes later we were lying down with our clicks and clacking outside What an evening He also said very often: We try. We try. Then you stood at the counter and asked: Hey Marcin. What are we drinking tonight? Jägerbomb? Then he shrugged because he didn’t know it. Then he said bone dry: Okay, we try“laughs De Laet.
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