England striker Jamie Vardy gets blessing

ENGLAND ace Jamie Vardy has got the hand of God — after a priest blessed his striking boots.

After Vardy led Leicester City to a miracle Premier League win, The Sun on Sunday sought divine intervention for his work with England at Euro 2016.

We transported his Nike boots to the remote Italian shrine of St Rita — the patron saint of lost causes.
Leicester boss Claudio Ranieri prayed there before guiding the Foxes to their historic triumph.

And yesterday we prayed with Father Sebastian Urumbil for another unlikely victory.
Father Urumbil sprinkled holy water on the boots and said: “For the intercession of St Rita, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirt, may God bless you and this pair of boots.”

Then he told The Sun on Sunday: “Now the boots have been blessed, the England team will be protected by St Rita so they can play well.
“St Rita is a universal saint, she is the saint of impossible things so she will be with England. If you pray with the saint, she will assist you. Now Jamie Vardy will always have St Rita with him.”
The camouflage Nike Hypervenom boots were placed on a small stand beneath a statue of the saint adorned with roses.
It was surrounded by candles in the hilltop village of Roccaporena, in Cascia, central Italy, where St Rita was born.

Last month, Italian priest Father Mario DeSantis — the rector of the basilica which houses St Rita’s tomb — said he believed Ranieri’s devotion to the saint was behind Leicester’s rise to the top.

He added: “She could well have been out there on the field with the players.” Since then, monks and priests at Roccaporena have showed a new-found interest in Premier League football.

Father Urumbil said: “I am a fan now, I know Jamie Vardy. England’s hopes of success at Euro 2016 may be an impossible cause but St Rita will be with them.”
Vardy will now have a holy backing as he and England begin their campaign in France against Russia next Saturday.

Sheffield-born Vardy, 29 — nicknamed “The Cannon” for his explosive personality — was once seen as a lost cause himself after running into hot water on and off pitch.
Last year he was at the centre of a race row after we revealed he abused a casino gambler, saying: “Yo Jap, walk on.”
Vardy played non-league football with an electronic tag after he was convicted of assault aged 20.

He joined Leicester for £1million and earns £75,000 a week. He went on to win a spot in the England squad last year and featured in a warm-up game against Portugal on Thursday.
Vardy is now set for a move to Arsenal after their £20million swoop for him last week.
His choice of the custom-made boots caused a stir when he first wore them in March.
The names Sofia — his daughter with new wife Becky, 34 — and Ella, his daughter from a previous relationship were stitched on the right boot.
The names Megan and Taylor — Becky’s kids from a previous relationship — were on the left.

Meanwhile, Becky says she won’t be wearing head-to toe designer outfits when she watches Jamie at Euro 2016 — because she is trying to save cash. In an interview with Fabulous mag, she said: “I couldn’t justify it.
“It doesn’t last forever and if we aren’t careful with finances by the time we are 40... well, it’s not always going to be there.”

She says she is blessed to be married to Jamie, who is “easy-going, soft and gentle” off the pitch.
She added: “Jamie is the most amazing dad.
“He always has time for them. There is nothing ever too big or too small for him. I’m happy, the kids are happy.”