Forget about the Golden State Warriors, LeBron's leadership and whatever muck the NFL constantly gets into — the championship-caliber rise of Leicester City Football Club is the best story in sports right now.
The Premier League's top team, founded in 1884, began the season as relegation, not title contenders. In fact, they were at the bottom of the league table back around Christmas 2014 — one year later, they found themselves at the opposite end and haven't looked back. It's literally been like a movie.
Their season has been a true feat of history. In over 100 years of play, they've never won the English soccer top flight (the modern Premier League). They've never qualified for the Champions League. Their best English top flight finish was as the 1928-29 season's runners-up. In a competition bankrolled by billions of dollars in oligarch and financier wealth, little Leicester City, backed by a 330,000-person population, is on the verge of overcoming 5000/1 odds to win the Premier League title.
With a squad that cost approximately one-eighth of 2012 and 2014 champions Manchester City, Leicester City can clinch the title next week. If they beat Manchester United at Old Trafford this Sunday, they'll win the title outright, but even if they tie, second-placed Tottenham still needs to beat Chelsea on Monday night to stay alive. And if Leicester City manage to lose in Manchester on Sunday, Tottenham has to win or draw to challenge for another week. The trophy is within an uncomfortably short leash. So close, but still so unbelievable to some that Leicester City's obstinate club history keeps an injection of comforting doubt ready. You know, just in case.
At the beginning of the season, bookies gave Leicester City a 5000 to 1 shot to win the Premier League. By comparison, the 1969 "Miracle Mets" had 100/1 odds, according to the New York Times. Also, by comparison, these 10 wacky things are more likely to happen to you in your lifetime than you witnessing Leicester City win the title this season:
CORRECTION: This entry has been updated to accurately reflect Leicester's squad cost relative to Manchester City's. Also, Tottenham play Chelsea, not West Brom, on Monday.
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