How Eric Cantona prophesised the demise of Leicester City

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Martin Macdonald | Author

It has taken 10 years for Leicester City to go from shocking the world as Premier League champions to the third tier of English football.

At the beginning of the 2015/16 season, the Foxes were 5000-1 outsiders to win the Premier League as the bookies tipped them for relegation instead of title glory, yet they stunned everyone with their effervescent performances under legendary Italian boss Claudio Ranieri.

Not only did they win the league, but in fairly emphatic fashion by 10 points as the likes of Arsenal, Tottenham and Manchester City were left in their wake.

It was one of the most stunning stories in the history of English football and a true underdog moment, proving that the game was for everyone and not just for the elite.

In this era of money dominating the game, it was a palate cleanser for many.

Yet, over the next decade, the dream soon became a nightmare as Leicester would fall from grace rapidly, culminating in a relegation from the Championship which was confirmed this week after a 2-2 home draw versus Hull.

The Foxes are 23rd in the Championship and have won just 11 out of 44 matches in the 2025/26 season.

Tonight’s result confirms our relegation to Sky Bet League One. pic.twitter.com/IsmoQbPOru

— Leicester City (@LCFC) April 21, 2026

Following the relegation, Chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha issued the following statement:

"To our fans,

"Relegation to League One is now confirmed. As Chairman, that responsibility sits with me. There are no excuses.

"We have experienced the highest highs and now the lowest lows, and the pain is shared by all of us. I am truly sorry for the disappointment we have caused. I understand the strength of feeling among our supporters, and we do not take your support for granted, especially at moments like this.

"Our focus now is on what comes next. We will take the necessary decisions to move the Club forward, working together to rebuild, improve, and restore the standards expected of Leicester City. Our objective is clear – to respond strongly and compete to move this Club forward again.

"We will face this head-on. We will keep going. Together."

Ranieri's dismissal

There was some trepidation from fans and pundits when Ranieri was appointed to replace Nigel Pearson but he soon won most over with his humour and winning mentality. His ability to influence and encourage the Leicester players was viewed as a key factor in the success of the team in 2015/16.

However, he was dismissed in February of the next campaign with the club sitting a point above the relegation zone. The departure of N'Golo Kante was seen as vital, while other key players like Riyad Mahrez and Jamie Vardy were not hitting the heights of the previous season.

There was also a general feeling that the squad struggled with the demands playing both Premier League and Champions League football. Ranieri's assistant Craig Shakespeare took charge and saved the club from relegation, but the overall feeling on the Italian was that the decision was harsh due to his previous exploits.

He told The Times years later that it wasn't just the poor results that led to his dismissal.

"Honestly, it hurt me. Nine months earlier, we had won the Premier together, and now they were firing me? Why?" he recalled.

"Then, the president's son told me that the problem was that I didn't get along with some English staff members. Incredible."

Since Ranieri's dismissal, Leicester got relegated, then promoted, then relegated again last season.

The current Championship campaign has been a shock to the system and they have whimpered to relegation to League One.

Cantona's warning

One month after Ranieri was sacked in 2017, Manchester United legend Eric Cantona savaged the decision in his own theatrical way and warned that Leicester may rue the day they dumped the iconic Italian.

He appraised the situation in the form of a fairytale to Eurosport...

"Once upon a time there was a magician who arrived in a city and turned a group of mediocre players into extraordinary champions. But when the first clouds appeared, those ungrateful bad boys conspired to send the magician away... Traitors!

"Leicester really fired a coach who wrote one of the biggest pages in their history, an insignificant story before then. And now that they are back at the bottom of the food chain, they got rid of poor Claudio as if he were a dog full of fleas.

"Dear Foxes, 17th place or English Serie B: this is what you are, this is your DNA. You want greatness, but you wouldn't recognise it even if it hit you in the back. You've slammed greatness out the door and all you have left is a coach called Shakespeare: if this isn't a damn tragedy..."

Cantona has a way with words and his speech foretold the demise of Leicester City.

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