Can Spurs Do a Leicester? Why a 5000-1 Title Shock Is Not as Daft as It Sounds
Ten years ago, the idea of Leicester City lifting the Premier League trophy was treated as a punchline. The Foxes had finished 14th in 2014-15 and the bookmakers offered 5000-1 on them being crowned champions. Twelve months later, Claudio Ranieri's side had done exactly that, racking up 81 points and finishing ten clear of Arsenal. It remains the greatest underdog story the English game has ever produced.
So here is the question every long-suffering supporter is quietly asking after a grim couple of years: could Tottenham Hotspur pull off a Leicester of their own in 2026-27? On the face of it the suggestion sounds absurd, yet dig a little deeper and the parallels are more interesting than you might expect.
The Leicester blueprint: from 14th to champions
Leicester's triumph was not a fluke born of one hot streak. It was built on a settled spine, a clear identity, an attack led by Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez, and the relentless engine of N'Golo Kante in midfield. Crucially, the Foxes had no European football to distract them, which let Ranieri drill the same eleven week after week. You can relive that miracle campaign in full on our Premier League 2015-16 page, and see just how rare such a feat is by browsing the complete list of Premier League champions. Only seven clubs have ever lifted it.
Spurs have hit rock bottom
If a title charge tends to follow a season at rock bottom, Tottenham have certainly supplied the rock bottom. Spurs have now finished 17th in back-to-back campaigns, a sequence without precedent in the club's modern history. The 2025-26 season was especially brutal: three managers, an early exit from every cup competition, and survival confirmed only on the final day with a nervy 1-0 win over Everton that sent West Ham down in their place. You can put those finishes into context against the club's prouder eras on our Spurs all-time stats hub. Compare it with Leicester, who escaped relegation by the skin of their teeth in 2014-15 before their fairy tale. Sometimes the only way is up.
A point to prove under De Zerbi
The man charged with the rebuild is Roberto De Zerbi, who steadied a sinking ship after taking charge in late March and guided Spurs to 11 points from their final six matches. The Italian now has a full pre-season, a clear playing philosophy and, for the first time in years, no European football to juggle. That last point is no small thing: only Leicester in 2015-16 and Chelsea the season after have won the Premier League while sitting out continental competition entirely. You can see how De Zerbi stacks up against his predecessors on our Tottenham managers records page. Add in a squad smarting from two miserable seasons, and the motivation could hardly be clearer. Nobody at the club wants another final-day scrap.
The summer signings building a platform
Spurs have moved early and shrewdly in the 2026 window. The headline arrival is Andy Robertson, signed on a free transfer from Liverpool, where he won two Premier League titles and the Champions League across nine years and 378 appearances. De Zerbi hailed the Scotland captain as "a proven winner at the highest level", while sporting director Johan Lange pointed to the leadership and character the 32-year-old brings to a young dressing room.
Alongside him comes Marcos Senesi, the Argentina international centre-back signed from Bournemouth to add steel and composure to a defence that shipped far too many goals last term. With the club promising further investment and several more targets being pursued, the spine of a far more competitive side is taking shape.
So, could Spurs actually do it?
Let us be honest. Arsenal are reigning champions, Manchester City remain a force, and Liverpool will reload. The smart money says Tottenham's first job is simply to climb back towards the European places. A 5000-1 shock is, by definition, a 5000-1 shock.
But that is rather the point. Leicester were 5000-1 too. They had a fresh approach, no European baggage, a settled group and a sizeable chip on their shoulder. Spurs already tick three of those four boxes, and the fourth can fall into place with a strong start. Will Spurs do a Leicester? Probably not. Could they? In football, you should never say never.