Russia 2018: Vardy, Cambiasso set for World Cup reunion

England’s defeat to Belgium has lined up a World Cup last-16 clash against Colombia and a reunion between former Leicester City team-mates who did not see eye to eye – Jamie Vardy and Esteban Cambiasso.

City striker Vardy is a key part of England’s squad in Russia while former midfielder Cambiasso was named as Colombia’s assistant coach before the tournament.

Vardy admitted in his autobiography that he had clashed with Cambiasso during the Great Escape season at that the Argentinian was the “only player I wasn’t sure about in our squad”.

“Esteban was clearly a great player, and I don’t think any of us had a problem with a big name coming in, but we didn’t appreciate someone trying to take over and that’s how it felt at times with him,” Vardy wrote in his book From Nowhere.

“Wes was the skipper and bloody brilliant at the job, but suddenly he was being undermined by someone who hadn’t been at the club long.”

Vardy also revealed how Cambiasso would call player meetings, said the squad felt formations were changed just to accommodate him in the team, and told how the two had argued when Cambiasso had accused Vardy of not training even though the striker was only getting through matches by having pain-killing injections on a bruised foot.

The pair will meet again on Tuesday when England take on Colombia with a place in the quarter-final at stake.

Cambiasso returned to the King Power Stadium last season to say a belated goodbye to the fans for the first time since leaving the club three years ago, after a campaign in which he played a huge role in City’s survival bid.