Leicester City's astonishing Premier League victory has been one of the most romantic footballing stories of all time. Struggling against relegation last season; lifting the world-renowned trophy at the end of this one – Claudio Ranieri himself said it felt like a dream.
Leicester hasn't only brought joy to fans all over the world, they have done a service to the Premier League as well. The rapidly widening gap between the richer, more famous clubs was becoming a concern for fans of the world's 'best league'. But Leicester’s unprecedented victory has proved that money is not a necessity for success, and that the top-flight should not be an exclusive playground for the big four.
Looking back at my league predictions from July, the unpredictability of English top division is clear. I said that Chelsea would come second and Leicester, remarkably, rock bottom. Such was the magic of a true underdog story, to overcome all the odds (specifically, odds of 5,000/1).
The Spanish league La Liga - home of the undisputed best players in the world - is a competition dominated by three teams. It seems impossible that any team outside of this elite group (Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Barcelona) could ever win the league, especially with the exorbitant funds of Real Madrid and Barcelona. But now Leicester has provided inspiration to small clubs all over the world, proving that they don't need the big names or the infinite resources to win coveted trophies.
Ranieri, with whom everyone has fallen in love, has also been an inspiration. Managers of small teams everywhere can look at him and learn that a passion for the game can bring any team to success. His story is, like the entire Leicester squad, incredible. Having never won a league trophy, the adorable Italian took the Leicester job. Insisting all season that the target was 40 points, his honest and relaxed persona reassured us that football is not just a business. Charisma, humour and class - the media soaked it up. I mean nothing exudes class more than an Italian opera singer introducing the team onto the field.
I think the reason why everyone fell for Leicester was their honesty. They don't earn the triple figure salaries of the top clubs, and yet their desire for success is so much more evident. Leicester’s players represent everything that fans want in a footballer - passion, desire, honesty, unspoilt, hard-working and, most importantly, victorious.
Indeed City's remarkable season may seem like a dream, but as King Claudio himself said, why not just “keep dreaming”?
Joshua Korber Hoffman is a 15 year-old football fanatic and Arsenal supporter. He writes a football blog called The Young Gun, in which his love for writing and the beautiful game intersect.
