Jamie Vardy has never been one to sugarcoat his journey, and his latest Netflix documentary, Untold, pulls no punches in capturing the raw, unfiltered reality of his rise from non-league obscurity to Premier League stardom. Described by his agent as a "raw, caged animal, drinking, partying and fighting," Vardy himself uses even stronger language to reflect on his early days—a period he calls "a killer" on both body and mind.

Now 39 and plying his trade in Italy's top flight with Cremonense, Vardy sat down with journalists at Netflix's London headquarters after the first screening of the film. His wife, Rebekah, watched quietly from the side, occasionally reacting to questions or her husband's candid responses. But when asked about taking time to reflect on his remarkable career, Vardy was characteristically blunt: "I don't have time to reflect, to be honest. At the minute, it's playing, the season finishes and I just want to forget about football. I need to mentally forget everything and get back to a normal place."

That grind is all too real for Vardy, who knew when he chose Cremonense over Dutch side Feyenoord last summer that he was joining a team fighting relegation. With three matches left, they remain in the drop zone. "Physically and mentally, football is a killer," he explains. "It's such a grind on your body and your mind, so I just want to completely forget about it."

But don't mistake his honesty for a lack of passion. "Of course I love it," Vardy clarifies. "If I didn't still love it, I wouldn't still be playing." Yet, when asked if he'd relive the journey, he admits: "If you asked me to go and do it all again, I wouldn't."

It's easy to see why. From playing in the eighth tier at Stocksbridge Park Steels—while working a factory job making medical splints—to lifting the Premier League trophy and earning England caps with Leicester City, Vardy's path has been anything but smooth. The documentary unearths footage of his blistering goalscoring form in those early days, but also reveals the personal battles that came with it. Released by boyhood club Sheffield Wednesday for being "too small," Vardy faced a series of setbacks, including a pivotal moment in 2007 that he openly discusses in the film.

Vardy's story is more than just a rags-to-riches tale—it's a testament to the mental and physical toll of chasing a dream. For anyone who's ever laced up a pair of boots and felt the weight of the game, his honesty cuts through the noise. In a world where players often gloss over the struggle, Vardy reminds us that the climb from the bottom to the top isn't just a highlight reel—it's a battle that leaves its mark.