Vardy launched his career in non-league after getting released by boyhood heroes Sheffield Wednesday, going through spells at Stocksbridge Park Steels, Halifax Town and Fleetwood Town before joining Leicester in the Championship in 2012.
Within four seasons, he famously grabbed the goals as the Foxes top scorer to help the Foxes win the Premier League in unlikely circumstances, scoring in 11 consecutive matches to break a record set by Ruud van Nistelrooy, winning Premier League and the Football Writers’ Association’s player of the year awards.
Vardy subsequently won the FA Cup in 2021, but his limited international career underwhelmed, scoring seven times in 26 games.
He is the oldest player to win the Premier League’s golden boot and has scored the most goals in the division, aged over 30 (106).
By comparison, Kane has outscored both Vardy and Rooney, becoming the second-top scorer in Premier League history behind Alan Shearer with 213 goals. He joined Bayern Munich at the start of last season and broke the Bundesliga scoring record in a single campaign, netting 36 goals – and 44 in all competitions.
Kane also keeps adding to his record 69 goals for England, surpassing Rooney’s tally of 53 in March 2023.
But Rooney’s club career stands him out from the other deadly duo, winning five Premier League titles, three League Cups and a Champions League, FA Cup, Europa League and Fifa Club World Cup. He also holds Manchester United’s all-time scoring record with 253 goals in all competitions.
Current Plymouth manager Rooney also played as more of a number 10 throughout much of his career, having featured at number nine, on the wing and in central midfield. Kane, 31, has mostly been a classic number nine up front, but has dropped into a number 10 position in the build-up to attacks.
At his peak, Vardy was a composed finisher who caused problems with his pace, running in behind defences and forcing mistakes with his pressing. Despite his age, he continues to be the first-choice striking option at Leicester under Steve Cooper.