Jamie Vardy begins life in Serie A this week and could make his debut against Verona on Monday.
The 2015/16 Premier League is embarking on a new stage of his career in Italy, having left Leicester City in the summer at the end of a famous 13-year spell with the Foxes.
Vardy signed a one-year contract with Cremonese at the beginning of September and was given a hero's welcome when he arrived in Lombardy.
Now, he hopes to emulate a childhood idol by lighting up Serie A over the coming year, potentially starting against Verona on September 15.
Jamie Vardy reveals 'unbelievable' boyhood idol
Vardy said his inspiration growing up was former Juventus forward Alessandro Del Piero, who won six Serie A titles and the UEFA Champions League with the Bianconeri.
"When I was younger, it was Del Piero [who was my inspiration]," he told DAZN.
"You watch him play – he was unbelievable. Watching him score most weeks was really encouraging for me. Having watched that, me coming here and trying to do exactly the same — it's really exciting."
Who is Alessandro Del Piero?
Del Piero was a forward widely considered one of the finest Italian players of the modern era, and an all-time great for Juventus.
A technically adept and creative player, Del Piero scored a record 290 goals in 705 games for Juve in a 19-year spell in Turin. He won six league tiles and the 1996 UEFA Champions League among a host of honours. He was twice named Serie A's best Italian player of the season and received multiple Ballon d'Or nominations, finishing fourth in 1996.
Del Piero scored 27 goals in 91 senior appearances for Italy. He was part of the team that won the FIFA World Cup in 2006, scoring a famous goal in the semifinal win over host nation Germany.
La firma decisiva di @delpieroale contro l'Inter ⚪️⚫️#GoalOfTheDay pic.twitter.com/hbAhvwQbUW
— JuventusFC (@juventusfc) April 26, 2023
Jamie Vardy on adapting to life in Serie A
Vardy believes he can adapt quickly to life in Italy, particularly after speaking with Cremonese head coach Davide Nicola and learning of his demands.
"The passion that he's got for the football club and for the football itself, and how he wants to progress and wanting a team of fighters — that was me down to a tee," he said.
"Every week, it's not about who you're playing against, it's what you do as a team and that's what we're
just going to concentrate on. They're all going to be difficult. Everyone wants to get three
points. I might have to adapt slightly, but it's something that I'm looking forward to doing.
"I'm settling in really well and just can't wait to get going now. It's all about match days and wanting to pick the results up, so now it's about just knuckling down when I get given the opportunity, helping my teammates out as much as I can and hopefully chipping in with some goals."
How to watch Serie A in the UK
UK-based fans can watch the Serie A season via DAZN, which is streaming more than 300 matches from Italy's top flight throughout 2025/26.