Jamie Vardy is undertaking Italian lessons in a bid to acclimatise to his new life abroad – and he’s already mastered all the swear words.
The veteran footballer, now 38, completed a move to newly-promoted Serie A side Cremonese earlier this summer after leaving Leicester City at the end of his contract.
His debut came on Monday, with Vardy coming off the bench for his new club in their 0-0 draw at Hellas Verona.
He’s moved to Cremonese, situated in northern Italy near Lake Garda, along with his reality TV star wife Rebekah, with the pair believed to have fallen in love with the area while holidaying there as early as last summer. The couple’s three children are expected to join them in the coming weeks.
The Vardys have settled in a luxurious £2million villa in the town of Salo, according to The Sun, around 80 kilometres from Cremonese’s training ground and are both learning Italian to help them settle into their new surroundings.
A source told the publication: ‘Jamie and Becky are already loving Italian life, and doing all they can to blend in seamlessly.
Jamie and Rebekah Vardy are reportedly taking Italian lessons to help acclimatise to life abroad
The Englishman made his debut for Cremonese on Monday in their 0-0 draw against Hellas Verona
Reality TV star Rebekah was in the crowd to cheer her husband on in Verona
‘The whole family is having Italian lessons and Jamie is already au fait with some of the more colourful words.
‘Vaffanculo is his current favourite, he actually knows most swear words in most languages – he’s quite the polymath.
‘People close to them thought Jamie would base himself out there for the season and Becky and the kids would stay as they are – but in the end they’ve decided to throw themselves in at the deep end as a family.
‘Actually she really fell in love with the place a year or so ago when they went there on holiday, and it’s early days but they are super happy – it’s all going really well, and they’ve made some great new pals.’
The Vardys have been the subject of much media attention since making the move to the continent.
As the striker was brought on with about 30 minutes to go of the game against Hellas Verona, Rebekah was monitored by a platoon of 13 dedicated photographers – and that was just the start of the circus.
La Provincia Cremona, a local paper, claims Vardy was greeted with a ‘roar’ when he came on and a standing ovation when he made his first touch, even if his performance was relatively subdued.
Of course, the Verona fans played their part, welcoming him with a chorus of boos when he was subbed on – though even some of them were wearing Vardy shirts, apparently.
The Vardys are thought to have fallen in love with northern Italy as early as last summer
Some have suggested that Vardy’s Serie A switch represents something of swan song finish to his career – something the striker denied
Some have suggested that Vardy’s Serie A switch represents something of swan song finish to the Englishman’s career as he nears retirement.
However the 38-year-old is adamant that that’s far from the case. Vardy snapped at a reporter who suggested such at his Cremonese unveiling a couple of weeks ago.
The journalist asked: ‘In Italy we are a little bit sceptical about players like you that are approaching their 40th birthday. We tend to say where’s their motivation, how fit are they? What you say in response to these sceptics?’
‘You must be one of the doubters,’ Vardy snapped.
‘You’re one that I’ll have to prove wrong. No, listen, for me age is just a number. As long as, I’ve always said it, my legs are still doing exactly what they used to and still feel as fresh as they do then I will carry on.
‘At the moment there are no signs of them slowing down so I’ll keep going and like I say I will be giving my all for this club.’
Vardy’s first start for his new club could come this Sunday as Cremonese host Parma Calcio at their Stadio Giovanni Zini.
