Everton and Leicester secure emotional farewell wins as Vardy scores 200th goal
Everton bid farewell to Goodison Park with a win, while Jamie Vardy ends Leicester career on a high with 200th goal.
By Amanda Zahra and Randy Ahmad
Two iconic chapters in English football history came to a close on Sunday, May 11, 2025, as Everton and Leicester secured farewell wins that were steeped in emotion, nostalgia, and fitting final acts. While Everton bid goodbye to their historic home at Goodison Park, Jamie Vardy bowed out of Leicester City with his 200th goal in a storybook ending that reflected his extraordinary journey.
A perfect send-off at Goodison Park
After 132 years, Everton’s men’s team played their final match at Goodison Park — a ground rich in tradition and triumphs, heartbreaks and hope. On a day filled with memories and the presence of club legends like Wayne Rooney, it was Iliman Ndiaye who made sure the occasion was remembered for a victory. His two first-half goals sealed a 2-0 win over Southampton and ensured Everton’s farewell to Goodison ended on a high note.
Home to the Toffees since 1892, Goodison Park has long been one of the most iconic venues in English football. Starting next season, Everton will move to a new 52,000-seater stadium in the Liverpool docklands, with the women’s team continuing to use Goodison as their home ground.
The atmosphere was electric from the first whistle to the last. Fans celebrated the history of the ground with banners, chants, and tributes to club legends. It was a symbolic end to an era that has seen nine league titles and a proud history in English football.
“Extraordinary atmosphere. The crowd were amazing,” said manager David Moyes. “The job was to win the game and see ourselves out at Goodison in a good light.” And that they did.
Vardy signs off with 200th goal in Leicester colours
In Leicester, the story was just as heartfelt. Jamie Vardy, in his 500th and final appearance for the Foxes, found the back of the net for the 200th time in Leicester colours as the club recorded a 2-0 win over Ipswich.
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| Leicester City's Jamie Vardy celebrates with Bilal El Khannouss after scoring their side's first goal during the Premier League match at King Power Stadium in Leicester on May 18, 2025. Photo by Nigel French/PA Images |
The 38-year-old striker, whose career trajectory took him from non-league football to Premier League glory, had announced earlier in the week that Sunday’s fixture would be his last for Leicester. Choosing not to feature in the club’s final match next weekend, Vardy wanted to ensure his farewell took place at the King Power Stadium.
Supporters returned the sentiment with an outpouring of love. Before kickoff, banners were unfurled showing Vardy lifting the Premier League and FA Cup, while fans waved flags reading “Thank You Vards.” The display honoured a player who had become the symbol of Leicester’s golden age.
And he did not disappoint. In the 28th minute, Vardy latched onto James Justin’s pass and finished with trademark precision. Kasey McAteer doubled the lead in the 68th minute, ensuring Leicester ended their home campaign with three points.
Vardy left the pitch in the second half to a standing ovation and a guard of honour from his teammates. It was an emotional farewell to a player widely considered Leicester’s greatest of all time.
“As a symbol of the spirit that defined the most successful era in our history, Jamie rightly carries the title of our greatest of all time,” said Leicester chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha.
Nottingham Forest’s Champions League dream still alive
While Everton and Leicester’s farewell wins dominated headlines, Nottingham Forest kept their European ambitions on track with a gritty 2-1 away victory at West Ham United.
Forest capitalised on an early error from West Ham goalkeeper Alphonse Areola, whose poor pass gifted Morgan Gibbs-White the opening goal in the 11th minute. The forward paid tribute to teammate Taiwo Awoniyi, who recently underwent abdominal surgery, by holding up a shirt bearing his name after scoring.
In the 61st minute, Nikola Milenkovic converted Anthony Elanga’s free-kick to double Forest’s lead. Jarrod Bowen pulled one back for West Ham in the 86th minute, but Forest held on for the win.
Now seventh in the table, Forest will face Chelsea in their final match next weekend, needing a win and favourable results elsewhere to secure their first Champions League appearance since the 1980-81 season.
“It’s great. Let’s enjoy it,” said manager Nuno Espirito Santo. “If we’d thought in the beginning of the season that we’d be playing for a Champions League spot, we’d have taken it.”
Fulham edge Brentford in west London thriller
Fulham boosted their hopes of a top-eight finish with a dramatic 3-2 win at Brentford. The match swung back and forth, providing fans with five goals, a penalty miss, and late heroics.
Raul Jimenez opened the scoring in the 16th minute for Fulham with a powerful header. But Bryan Mbeumo brought Brentford level with his 19th goal of the campaign just six minutes later. The hosts were awarded a penalty after Joachim Andersen fouled Kevin Schade, but Mbeumo’s effort was saved by Bernd Leno.
Brentford took the lead in the 43rd minute through Yoane Wissa, but Fulham responded strongly in the second half. Tom Cairney’s 68th-minute equaliser set the stage for Harry Wilson’s thunderous strike two minutes later, which sealed all three points.
With one game left, Fulham are pushing to finish in the top half and possibly secure a European spot, depending on the outcome of cup competitions and league permutations.
New beginnings and lasting legacies
As the 2024-25 Premier League season winds down, Sunday’s fixtures served as a powerful reminder of what makes football so emotionally resonant. While Everton and Leicester’s farewell wins were about endings, they were also about legacies and new beginnings.
Everton will enter a new chapter in a modern stadium that promises to usher in a brighter era after years of struggle. Leicester must now prepare for life without their greatest-ever striker, hoping to rebuild and climb back into contention.
For Jamie Vardy, his final bow was a perfect curtain call — a goal, a victory, and the love of a city that will never forget what he brought to their club. And for Everton, Goodison Park leaves behind memories that shaped generations and a legacy that will echo long into the future.
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