World Snooker Championship 2025: With Jamie Vardy Set to Depart, Is Ben Woollaston Leicester’s Next Sporting Hero?

On the same day Jamie Vardy confirmed he would leave Leicester City at the end of the season, another Leicester legend-in-the-making stepped into the spotlight — this time on the green baize, not the football pitch.

Ben Woollaston stunned the Crucible by knocking out close friend and four-time world champion Mark Selby in what was arguably the biggest upset of the tournament so far. The 10-8 win marked Woollaston’s first-ever victory at the famous venue and came against a man he trains with and deeply respects.

All-Leicester Clash at the Crucible

The Leicester potters knew this was a nightmare draw for both. Woollaston had admitted after sealing his Crucible return on Judgement Day that Selby would be the last player he wanted to face from the top 16 seeds — purely because of their friendship.

Selby was a strong favourite among pundits and punters to claim a fifth world title, but it was Woollaston who emerged triumphant after a tense, tactical battle that finished deep into the night.

It had all the hallmarks of a classic Selby match — long, grinding frames, endless safety exchanges — but this time, the “Jester from Leicester” was unable to grind his way over the line. His famed granite safety game wasn’t at its usual level, and Woollaston kept things scrappy and awkward, forcing a string of rare unforced errors from the four-time champ.

It was a contest for the snooker purists. Woollaston made just four breaks over 50, with a high of 84 in the second frame, but he stayed mentally strong and took his chances.

After the match, Selby pointed to cue troubles, admitting he’d been battling issues with a new point and a loose ferrule — problems that seemed to weigh heavily in the second session. He showed flashes of frustration, thumping his cue onto the table in frame 12 and all but surrendering frame 13 after mis-hitting a key yellow when snookers were needed.

The Biggest Win of Woollaston’s Career

Woollaston was quick to acknowledge Selby’s struggles but insisted the result was still the biggest win of his life.

“Mark didn’t play his best, but that doesn’t matter at all. He’s still really, really difficult to beat, especially here,” he said.

“It’s the best win I’ve ever had. Everyone says when I got to the final of the Welsh Open, which was massive. I’d say my biggest win was beating [Mark] Williams in that full house in Wales. But this was far, far bigger.”

No Help from His Mate (Just Yet)

Woollaston now faces another tough test in the second round against Chinese prodigy Si Jiahui, a former semi-finalist. The two have limited head-to-head history, with just two previous meetings in the Championship League — both in short best-of-four formats. Si won one 3-0, with the other ending 2-2.

Selby, meanwhile, boasts a perfect 6-0 record against Si, including two recent victories in Telford and Manchester during the Players and Tour Championships.

Naturally, we had to ask Woollaston whether he’d be tempted to get on the phone to his pal for a bit of insight — but he laughed the idea off.

“Yeah, I won’t be messaging him for a few weeks,” he joked.

“If I didn’t draw him, I’d be willing him on. I think it’s about time he won a fifth world title, so yeah if I hadn’t played him, I’d be willing him on to win it," he told SportsBoom.com. 

A New Leicester Hero in the Making?

With Vardy stepping away from Leicester City, we couldn’t resist closing the interview with one last cheeky suggestion — could Woollaston now step up and become the city's next big sporting hero?

“I’d like to think so. That would be amazing,” he concluded.