FAIRYTALE ENDING: Tears of joy as Leicester City beat all odds to WIN the Premier League
LEICESTER City have WON an historic first Premier League title tonight after Tottenham Hotspur failed to beat Chelsea.
Leicester City have won an historic Premier League title
The Foxes’ fairytale season finally got its happy ending under the floodlights at Stamford Bridge as Chelsea fought back from 0-2 down to end Spurs' title bid.
Tottenham’s players collapsed disconsolate on the pitch at the final whistle as the East Midlands club became the first new English champions in four decades.
The result means Leicester now cannot be caught by their nearest rivals with two games of the Premier League season still to go.
It comes a day after the Foxes clinched a 1-1 draw against Manchester United at Old Trafford, leaving Spurs with the daunting task of having to win all three of their remaining games.
Leicester City. Champions of England. pic.twitter.com/WRwfysTn2N
— Leicester City (@LCFC) May 2, 2016
Leicester City have won the Premier League. The biggest sporting shock of my lifetime, and it's only my team.
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) May 2, 2016
Many congratulations to Leicester. An extraordinary, thoroughly deserved, Premier League title.
— David Cameron (@David_Cameron) May 2, 2016
Former Leicester player and Match of the Day host Gary Lineker described his boyhood club's achievement as the "biggest sporting shock of my lifetime".
He said: "Leicester City have won the Premier League. The biggest sporting shock of my lifetime, and it's only my team."
Former Liverpool defender and Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher said Leicester had blown open the "closed shop" of the Premier League's elite, hailing their victory as the "greatest achievement" in football history.
Congratulations to Leicester on winning the league title. What an unbelievable performance over the course of the season!
— Basti Schweinsteiger (@BSchweinsteiger) May 2, 2016
WE DID IT!
— Leicester City (@LCFC) May 2, 2016
Leicester City are the @premierleague Champions!https://t.co/cpEtWjv3kU#havingaparty pic.twitter.com/H0uLZHn7cu
From League 1 to Premier League Champions!! Unbelievable feeling.. ?????????????????? https://t.co/AsgZGQHLQt pic.twitter.com/AFrAYKXPDV
— Andy King (@10_kingy) May 2, 2016
Proud to be part of Leicester City Champions. We are one big family ?????? Well deserved #champions #lcfc
— Matty James (@MattyJames_8) May 2, 2016
In the end the task was too tall for the North London side, who squandered a two goal lead during an ill-tempered match in London.
England forward Harry Kane opened the scoring for Spurs before South Korean forward Son Heung-min pounced on a defensive mix-up to put the Lily Whites two up.
But Chelsea came out after half-time a transformed side with this season's big underperformer, Belgian winger Eden Hazard, inspiring his team to a stirring comeback.
First England centre-back Gary Cahill poked home from a corner and then Hazard provided the moment all Leicester fans had been dreaming of as he combined with Diego Costa and curled a delicious finish into the top corner.
Leicester fans are in wonderland after the club secured its first top flight title
The Foxes' triumph is being hailed as the greatest in sporting history
Leicester are the first English champions since Nottingham Forest in the 70s
The biggest sporting shock of my lifetime, and it's only my team.
Tottenham's failure to win means Leicester became the 12th team in the Premier League’s 24-year history to clinch the crown without themselves kicking a ball. The final whistle was greeted by delirious scenes in Leicester's bars and pubs, where thousands of fans had gathered to watch history in the making.
The result means the club will be presented with the Premier League trophy at their next home game, against Everton on Saturday, which will be a carnival atmosphere.
Claudio Ranieri’s battling Foxes have caught the imagination of millions this year, stringing together win after win to seal the most unlikely underdog story in history.
They started the season with astonishing odds of 5000-1 to win the title, and were tipped as one of the most likely teams to suffer relegation.
Tottenham's players were disconsolate after the match
Leicester City have won the Premier League
Leicester fans endured a torturous 90 minutes tonight
The Foxes drew 1-1 at Old Trafford yesterday
Foxes fans have enjoyed the most memorable season in the club’s history as their side have repeatedly upstaged the Premier League’s traditional aristocracy to storm to the title.
Supporters packed out bars across the city tonight to see if Spurs could beat Chelsea and prolong one of the most thrilling title races in Premier League history.
They endured a nail-biting 90 minutes before the Stamford Bridge club finally saw out the result which sealed their most unlikely and historic of title wins.
Earlier Leicester legend and Match of the Day host Gary Lineker tweeted: “Never thought I'd not want Spurs to beat Chelsea. Feel like I'm being unfaithful in a way, but this will never, ever happen again.”
Leicester City's football success
And fans packed out the Local Hero pub in Aylestone Road, just yards from the club’s King Power Stadium, to witness history in the making.
Suj Mahal, 41, of Leicester, said: "The omens are good given that it's been a long time since Tottenham have won at Chelsea.
"I just can't wait for it to be over. My heart has been going some every time we play.
"We've been through it all - the play-offs, relegations and promotions and it will just be fantastic when we win it."
Jag Sandher, 24, also of Leicester, said: "Tonight will be a draw I think.
"It will be the best feeling when we know we've got the title. I've been supporting Leicester since I was in nappies and nothing can beat this."