Kasper Schmeichel Joins OGC Nice After 11 Seasons At Leicester City
- Legendary goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel to leave Leicester City Football Club
- The 35-year-old will join Ligue 1 side OGC Nice after 11 seasons at LCFC
- He has made nearly 500 appearances for the Football Club
- Schmeichel has lifted four trophies as a Leicester City player
The 35-year-old, who lifted the Premier League, FA Cup, Community Shield and Championship trophies after signing from Leeds United in 2011, joins the French side for an undisclosed fee, subject to international and league approval.
Schmeichel, who sits third in Leicester City’s all-time appearance list having played 479 times during 11 historic seasons for the Football Club, has been a key figure in the unprecedented period of success seen under King Power’s ownership.
The Danish international has been at the heart of countless memorable moments, including the Football Club’s Premier League title victory in 2015/16 and the Foxes’ maiden FA Cup win in 2020/21. His passion, leadership and consistency helped lay the foundations for a period of sustained success never before seen at Leicester City and will leave his name written proudly in the Club’s history books.
Kasper Schmeichel – Leicester City Legend
A look at Kasper Schmeichel's magnificent 11 years as a Leicester City player.
Leicester City Chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha said: “Throughout his time with us and particularly as a captain and vice-captain, Kasper has always been a player willing to stand up and take responsibility, leading the team with distinction. His influence and his leadership on and off the pitch speak volumes about him as a professional, as a football player and as a human being.
“I know Leicester City supporters share the respect we all have for a player of Kasper’s standing after all his accomplishments as a footballer and captain and will join me in wishing him the very best for the next stage of his career in France with OGC Nice.
“It’s clear to everyone who has watched him perform that Kasper has given everything to Leicester City every time he has played and the experiences shared between him, the Club and our supporters over the last 11 years mean he will always remain a part of this family.”
Having joined from Leeds in 2011, Schmeichel’s presence in goal for the Club would prove to be one of the key building blocks for a side that would go on to stun the footballing world just a few years later, but his talent and abilities were already well known to all City fans.
His performances during the 2013/14 Championship title victory saw him named in the Team of the Season and subsequent Championship Team of the Decade, while his return from injury during Leicester’s first season in the Premier League in 2014/15 coincided with a remarkable turnaround in fortunes to ensure a survival famously remembered as ‘The Great Escape’.
Then came the 2015/16 season, which is widely known as the greatest team triumph in the history of sports as City marched to the Premier League title by an incredible margin of 10 points. Kasper’s influence during that campaign was an important part of the story and of Leicester’s success – big saves at key moments and quick-thinking distribution that fitted perfectly with the team’s counter attacking strengths.
From being an ever-present during that historic season, Schmeichel went on to make more history with the Club in their first-ever UEFA Champions League campaign in 2016/17. His heroics in goal no more evident than his key penalty save in the last-16 tie with Sevilla to help City make the quarter-finals against Atletico Madrid.
In addition to those unforgettable moments, Schmeichel again found himself at the heart of Leicester City history by leading the team out as captain for the 2021 FA Cup Final against Chelsea at Wembley. With City winning 1-0, his inexplicable save from Mason Mount late in the game was the moment many Leicester City fans believed they would see their team lift the cup.
Another Wembley triumph over Manchester City in the FA Community Shield followed a few months later for the Foxes, while Schmeichel also continued to help them make history in Europe. His key saves in important moments against PSV Eindhoven in the UEFA Conference League ensured the team booked a first-ever European semi-final date against Roma in May this year.
Kasper’s presence on the pitch over those years has long been an embodiment of the passion felt for the Football Club by its supporters, while his talent and achievements also mean he unquestionably stands among a handful of players who can be considered among Leicester City’s all-time greats.
He leaves Leicester City Football Club with the heartfelt gratitude of all his friends and colleagues after his incredible service along with their best wishes for the next chapter in his career with OGC Nice.