Jamie Vardy wanted to quit Leicester City and become a party rep in Ibiza, reveals Craig Shakespeare

The incident occurred after his first season with the club in 2013

Vardy struggled in his first season as a Leicester player (Getty)

Jamie Vardy needed persuading to carry on his Leicester City career after wanting to quit football to become a party rep in Ibiza.

Foxes boss Craig Shakespeare revealed he needed to talk Vardy, now a 16-time England international earning around £100,000-a-week, out of ending his football career in 2013 in favour of moving to the party island off the coast of Spain.

It was the first season Vardy had been at then-Championship club Leicester and he’d scored only five goals all season following his move from non-league Fleetwood town.

His struggles on the pitch led to him wanting to leave the game, only for Shakespeare, former boss Nigel Pearson and head of recruitment Steve Walsh to convince him to stay.

“Our job is to support players,” Shakespeare said of the incident at the end of the 2013 season.

“Sometimes they do have self-doubt and Jamie would be the first to admit he was going through a rough patch.

“Myself, Nigel [Pearson] and Steve [Walsh] were here to support him. All we did was told him about his attributes and that we thought he could go on.

“We even mentioned then about not only playing in the Premier League but also he had the attributes to play for the national team. We told him we wanted him and believed in him.

“Thankfully he didn't go to Ibiza. I think he has made the right decision!”