Claudio Ranieri says Leicester glory down to ‘heart and soul’ of players

Claudio Ranieri says the “heart and the soul” of his players is the reason behind Leicester’s incredible Premier League title success.

Tottenham’s failure to beat Chelsea on Monday Night Football handed the Foxes their first top-flight title in their 132-year history, with two games remaining this season.

Claudio Ranieri has paid tribute to his players after Leicester clinched the title

The Leicester boss flew to Italy on Sunday to spend some time with his 96-year-old mother in Rome but revealed he made it back to England in time to see the moment Leicester became champions.

he Leicester boss flew to Italy on Sunday to spend some time with his 96-year-old mother in Rome but revealed he made it back to England in time to see the moment Leicester became champions.

“I feel good, I feel good you can imagine,” Ranieri said on arriving at Leicester’s training ground on Tuesday morning.

I had lunch with my mother then I came back with our plane and arrived at 7 o’clock and at 8 o’clock, I watched the match. The emotions were at the maximum.

“I was home to watch the match. I had lunch with my mother then I came back with our plane and arrived at 7 o’clock and at 8 o’clock, I watched the match. The emotions were at the maximum.”

Asked what was the secret to Leicester’s remarkable campaign, which has seen them lose just three matches en route to claiming the league, the Italian said: “I don’t know the secret. I think the players, their heart and their soul won it.”

Asked what the first league title win of his 30-year managerial career means to him, Ranieri said: “It means the job is good. I am very, very happy now because if I won this title at the beginning of my career, maybe I would have forgotten it by now.

“No, now I am a very, very old man and I can feel much better.”

Ranieri said he had not spoken to his players yet, explaining he “will wait for them and we will enjoy it together”, before adding he is already thinking about a bright future for Leicester going forward.

The Tottenham players were gracious after losing the title to Leicester and praised the Foxes’ massive achievement

“I say every time I am very happy for the fans, the chairman, and everybody, for all of the Leicester community.

“We want to improve. We want to improve a lot.”