Leicester City legend Jamie Vardy, known for his outspokenness, has made Tottenham Hotspur the subject of another joke.
Vardy was a surprise guest at a music festival at Victoria Park in Leicester, England, on Sunday (Aug. 17). Vardy, who had just scored a goal in a Championship match against Southampton two days earlier, took to the stage to get the crowd pumped up before the real show began. “Are there any Spurs (Tottenham) fans here?” he asked to liven things up. No one confessed to being a Spurs fan, and as if on cue, boos erupted from the audience. “They still haven’t got a bottle!” Bodie shouted.
In English soccer, a “bottle” means a good chance to win the league. “No bottle” is used when a team has lost the lead. A team with a ‘bottle’ doesn’t crumble under pressure, but a team without a ‘bottle’ indicates that they don’t have enough courage to win. Vardy is likely referring to the 2015-2016 English Premier League (EPL) season. At the time, Leicester beat 1/5000 odds to win a miraculous title. Meanwhile, Tottenham, who were in contention for the title, lost their last two games and finished third in the league behind Arsenal. The 2015-2016 season was Son Heung-min’s debut for Tottenham.
Spurs haven’t won a league title since. For Vardy, who has won trophies beyond Tottenham, “no Tottenham” is the perfect tease. For Spurs, who have gotten off to a good start under manager Enzi Postecoglou, finishing second in the league, it’s a bitter pill to swallow.
Spurs fans also have something to fight back with. Leicester, who won the league seven years ago, were relegated to the second tier last season after a poor 18th place finish.
Meanwhile, there’s another team that fits the “no bottle” category. Arsenal. The Gunners had a golden opportunity to win the title for the first time in 19 years in the 2022-2023 season, but they collapsed in the second half and ultimately allowed Man City to come from behind to win the title. 먹튀검증