Nemanja Vidic
Encyclopedia
Nemanja Vidić is a Serbia
n footballer who captains English Premier League club Manchester United
. He was part of the Serbia national football team
from 2002 to 2011.
After establishing himself at Red Star Belgrade
during the early 2000s, Vidić moved to Spartak Moscow
in the summer of 2004. He further increased his reputation when he was part of the "Famous Four" Serbian national team
defence that conceded just one goal during the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign. He would later sign for Man United for around £7m in January 2006 before establishing a prominent defensive partnership with Rio Ferdinand
the following season and earning a reputation for his no-nonsense defending.
He has collected a host of honours in his United career including 3 consecutive Premier League titles (4 titles in total), the UEFA Champions League
, the FIFA World Club Cup, three League Cup
medals, as well as being included in three consecutive PFA Team of the Year
sides from 2007 to 2009. In the 2008–09 season, he helped United to a record-breaking run of 14 consecutive clean sheets
and was awarded the Barclays Player of the Season. He also collected both the club's Fans' and Players' Player of the Year awards. At the start of the 2010–11 season Vidić was selected as the new team captain of Manchester United
. He collected his second Barclays Player of the Season in 2010-11.
. He progressed quickly, and moved to Sloboda Užice
at the age of 12. The Balkan conflict
broke out during his early teenage years, during which his family lived under constant fear of being bombed.
signed Vidić to their youth system. He started his senior career on a season-long loan deal
at Spartak Subotica in 2000. He moved back to Red Star Belgrade after the loan deal ended, playing regularly in the top-flight Yugoslav League
with coach Zoran Filipović
. He won the 2001–02 Yugoslav Cup
with Red Star. Vidić quickly gained the captain's armband, and during his three years as captain, he scored 12 goals in 67 matches, and ended his Red Star Belgrade career on a high note by leading the club to a domestic double. He won the 2004 Serbia and Montenegro League and Serbia and Montenegro Cup
trophies with Red Star Belgrade, and in July 2004, he joined Russian Premier League
side Spartak Moscow
. The details of the transfer were not revealed although it was reported that Vidić became the most expensive defender in the history of the Russian Premier League.
, Vidić signed for Manchester United for a fee of around £7 million on 25 December 2005, and joined the club on 5 January 2006 after his work permit
was granted. This was two and a half years after Manchester United's reported interest in him. On this occasion, United beat out stiff competition for Vidić's signature as his transfer to ACF Fiorentina
had already been agreed with the club's sporting director Pantaleo Corvino
. Since Fiorentina had to wait in order to complete the signing due to not having any free non-EU spots on its roster at the moment, United stepped in and got Vidić in the meantime. He was assigned the number 15 shirt and on 25 January 2006 he made his debut for Manchester United as a substitute for Ruud van Nistelrooy
in the dying minutes of a 2–1 win in the Carling Cup
semi-final second leg against Blackburn Rovers
. On 16 February 2006, Vidić won his first trophy with United, coming on in the 83rd minute for Wes Brown
in the 2006 Carling Cup final win against Wigan Athletic
.
During the 2006–07 Premier league season, Vidić formed a partnership with Rio Ferdinand
in the centre of defence, which has since become one of the most prominent partnerships in European football, and has become an established first team player. In his first full season playing for Manchester United, he made 25 appearances in the Premier League and ended the season winning his first league medal.
Vidić scored his first ever goal for Manchester United on 14 October 2006 against Wigan Athletic
; United won 3–1. He scored his second goal in a 3–0 win over Portsmouth
on 4 November, his first goal at Manchester United's Old Trafford
stadium. He scored his first Champions League
goal for Manchester United against Benfica on 6 December in the group stages, a match which Manchester United won 3–1.
On 8 November 2007, Vidić signed a five-year contract extension, keeping him at Manchester United until 2012. At the end of the 2007–08 season
, he earned his second consecutive Premier League
medal. He was also a part of the squad which won the 2008 UEFA Champions League Final
versus Chelsea
—his first European medal. During United's 2007–08 season, he made 32 league appearances and scored one goal.
During the 2008–09 season, Vidić was a pivotal part of the United defence in the absence of a number of other defenders during various parts of the season. He started every match in the British Football League-record run of 14 consecutive clean sheets
in Premier League matches. Towards the end of the 2008–09 season, Vidić was shortlisted for the PFA Player of the Year award, along with another four Manchester United players; he was considered the favourite to receive the accolade that was later awarded to his team-mate Ryan Giggs
. Vidić was later named as the Manchester United fans' player of the year and players' player of the year, taking over from Cristiano Ronaldo
, who won both awards in 2007–08. During the Carling Cup final Vidic had to play at right back when he replaced John O'Shea
.
Praised for his aggressive no-nonsense defensive style by his Manchester United teammates, he is highly regarded for bravery. Because of this, he enjoys a cult status among United faithful and is often compared to former Manchester United defender Steve Bruce
for having similar characteristics.
On 25 October 2009, Vidić was again sent off against Liverpool in a 2–0 defeat, marking the third consecutive game against their fiercest rivals in which he had been shown a red card. However, on 21 March 2010 he managed to play a full 90 minutes in a 2–1 win against Liverpool at Old Trafford and again on 19 September 2010, this time a 3–2 victory.
On 23 July 2010, it was reported that Vidić had extended his contract with Manchester United by agreeing to a new long-term contract, ending long-running speculation of a move to Real Madrid
. The new four-year contract was signed on 20 August. Vidić scored his first goal of the season on 11 September away to Everton
to put his side 2–1 up, the game ending with a dramatic finish with the final score 3–3. After captaining Manchester United for the first five matches of the 2010–11 season
, Sir Alex Ferguson
later confirmed that Vidić had taken over from Gary Neville
as team and club captain on a permanent basis. On 30 October, Vidić scored his first home goal of the season in a 2–0 league win against Tottenham Hotspur, his goal was the 1000th to be scored at Old Trafford
in the Premier League. On 13 November 2010 Vidić scored his third goal of the season in a 2–2 away draw against Aston Villa
in the 85th minute to grab United a point from a 2–0 deficit. On 1 February, Vidić scored against Aston Villa
at Old Trafford with a powerful drive inside the penalty area, and United won 3–1.
On 1 March 2011, Vidić was sent off in stoppage time in an intense match against Chelsea for a foul on Ramires. Chelsea won 2–1. Vidic got his revenge on 8 May 2011 when he scored against Chelsea to end their title aspirations in a 2–1 victory and propelled United toward a record breaking 19th Premier league title, a feat which was completed the following week at Blackburn Rovers.
In August 2011, Vidic started the season opening game, the 2011 FA Community Shield
at Wembley Stadium
. However Vidic was taken off at half time along with partner Rio Ferdinand
as United trailed 2-0 to Manchester City. In the second half, United turned the game around and won 3-2. Vidic went on to lift the Shield as the captain, claiming his fourth Community Shield medal of his career. A week later Vidic started in Manchester United's opening Premier League fixture of the season at West Bromwich Albion, but was taken off during the second half with a calf injury. After the match it was initially thought that Vidic would only miss a couple of weeks, however a further diagnosis found the injury to be worse than first feared sidelining him for five weeks. He missed the wins against Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal
, Bolton Wanderers, Chelsea
and the 1-1 draw against Stoke City FC. He also missed the first two UEFA Champions League games of the season against Benfica and FC Basel
, both ending in draws. After additionally missing the 2-0 home win against Norwich City FC on 1 October 2011, Sir Alex Ferguson indicated that he hoped Vidić would be back for the match against Liverpool FC
at Anfield on 15 October 2011. He did not make the match at Anfield, but returned in the following game in the UEFA Champions League
against FC Oțelul Galați
. United won the game 2-0, however Vidić was sent off midway through the second half for a high challenge, in what was arguably a harsh decision. After the match, Sir Alex Ferguson said he could see why the referee gave the decision and that the club would not appeal, meaning Vidic now serves a European suspension. After missing the Manchester Derby the following weekend which Manchster United heavily lost 6-1 to Manchester City, Vidic played his first full 90 minutes of the season against Aldershot Town in a 4th round Carling Cup tie, which United won 3-0. He made his return to Premier League action at Goodison Park
in a 1-0 win against Everton
.
in UEFA Euro 2004 qualification. Vidić was part of Serbia-Montenegro's "Famous Four" defence, alongside Mladen Krstajić
, Ivica Dragutinović
and Goran Gavrančić
, that conceded just one goal during the ten 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification matches, setting a new record for the fewest goals conceded. Vidić played a major part in the last qualification game, against Bosnia and Herzegovina
, in which Serbia-Montenegro won 1–0 and secured qualification, Vidić was given the red card five minutes before the end. Vidić missed out on Serbia-Montenegro's opening group stage match against the Netherlands
through suspension from his previous red card, and on 12 June 2006 he injured his left knee ligament
s during training and he did not play any games at the 2006 World Cup. After the 2006 World Cup, Vidić went on to represent the national team, now independent as the Serbian national team
. He was a regular during 2010 World Cup qualifying
when fit and was instrumental as Serbia finished top of their group ahead of the likes of France and Romania with the best defensive record. Serbia had less luck at the 2010 FIFA World Cup
, and came in last place in Group D
. On the 24 October 2011, Vidić announced his retirement from international football due to negative comments by Serbian public and media about his recent performances.
Manchester United
that is organized annually by daily newspaper Večernje Novosti
. He was once again the recipient of the award in 2007, 2008 and 2010, playing for Manchester United. The executive committee of the Serbian Football Association
named him Player of the year for 2005 and 2008. He was named in the 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, and 2010–11
PFA Premier League Team of the Season
. In addition, he was shortlisted for the 2006–07, 2007–08 and 2008–09 UEFA European Club Defender of the Year
and was also shortlisted for the 2006–07 and 2007–08 FIFPro World XI player award and also for the 2008 and 2009 Ballon d'Or award. Vidić was named Premier League Player of the Month
for January 2009. He was also named Barclays Player of the Season for 2008–09 and 2010–11, and espnstar.com
's Barclays Premier League Player of the Season and Defender of the Season for 2010-11.
(no relation to the Serbian tennis star of the same name
). Together, they have two sons named Luka and Stefan.
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
n footballer who captains English Premier League club Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
. He was part of the Serbia national football team
Serbia national football team
The Serbia national football team represents Serbia in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of Serbia, the governing body for football in Serbia. Serbia's home ground is Stadion Crvena Zvezda in Belgrade and their last head coach was Vladimir Petrović...
from 2002 to 2011.
After establishing himself at Red Star Belgrade
Red Star Belgrade
Red Star Belgrade is a football club from Belgrade, Serbia. The club is a part of the Red Star Sports Society.Red Star Belgrade is the most successful Serbian club, with a record of 25 national championships and 23 national cups in both Serbian and ex-Yugoslav competitions...
during the early 2000s, Vidić moved to Spartak Moscow
FC Spartak Moscow
FC Spartak Moscow is a Russian football club from Moscow. Having won 12 Soviet championships and 9 of 19 Russian championships they are one of the country's most successful clubs. They have also won the Soviet Cup 10 times and the Russian Cup 3 times...
in the summer of 2004. He further increased his reputation when he was part of the "Famous Four" Serbian national team
Serbia national football team
The Serbia national football team represents Serbia in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of Serbia, the governing body for football in Serbia. Serbia's home ground is Stadion Crvena Zvezda in Belgrade and their last head coach was Vladimir Petrović...
defence that conceded just one goal during the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign. He would later sign for Man United for around £7m in January 2006 before establishing a prominent defensive partnership with Rio Ferdinand
Rio Ferdinand
Rio Gavin Ferdinand is an English footballer. He plays at centre back for Manchester United in the Premier League and for the England national football team...
the following season and earning a reputation for his no-nonsense defending.
He has collected a host of honours in his United career including 3 consecutive Premier League titles (4 titles in total), the UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
, the FIFA World Club Cup, three League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
medals, as well as being included in three consecutive PFA Team of the Year
PFA Team of the Year
The Professional Footballers' Association Team of the Year is an annual award given to a set of 44 footballers in the top four tiers of English football; the Premier League, the Championship, League One and League Two, whom are seen to be deserving of being named in a "Team of the Year".The award...
sides from 2007 to 2009. In the 2008–09 season, he helped United to a record-breaking run of 14 consecutive clean sheets
Shutout
In team sports, a shutout refers to a game in which one team prevents the opposing team from scoring. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball....
and was awarded the Barclays Player of the Season. He also collected both the club's Fans' and Players' Player of the Year awards. At the start of the 2010–11 season Vidić was selected as the new team captain of Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
. He collected his second Barclays Player of the Season in 2010-11.
Early years
Nemanja Vidić was born to Dragoljub, a now-retired copper factory worker, and Zora, a bank clerk. Vidić took up football at six years of age, alongside his older brother Dušan, with local side Jedinstvo PuteviFK Jedinstvo Putevi
FK Jedinstvo Putevi is a football club based in Užice, Serbia.-History:The club was founded in 1961....
. He progressed quickly, and moved to Sloboda Užice
FK Sloboda Užice
FK Sloboda Užice is a football club from Užice, Serbia. In 2010 Sloboda merged with Sevojno Point, which had just been promoted to the Super Liga, and from then the club plays in the Super Liga, under the new name FK Sloboda Point Sevojno, until the name "Sloboda Užice" was restored as the club's...
at the age of 12. The Balkan conflict
Yugoslav wars
The Yugoslav Wars were a series of wars, fought throughout the former Yugoslavia between 1991 and 1995. The wars were complex: characterized by bitter ethnic conflicts among the peoples of the former Yugoslavia, mostly between Serbs on the one side and Croats and Bosniaks on the other; but also...
broke out during his early teenage years, during which his family lived under constant fear of being bombed.
Red Star and Spartak Moscow
Two and a half years after signing for Sloboda Užice, before his 15th birthday, Red Star BelgradeRed Star Belgrade
Red Star Belgrade is a football club from Belgrade, Serbia. The club is a part of the Red Star Sports Society.Red Star Belgrade is the most successful Serbian club, with a record of 25 national championships and 23 national cups in both Serbian and ex-Yugoslav competitions...
signed Vidić to their youth system. He started his senior career on a season-long loan deal
Loan (football)
In sports, a loan involves a particular player being allowed to temporarily play for a club other than the one he is currently contracted to. Loan deals may last from a few weeks to all season-long....
at Spartak Subotica in 2000. He moved back to Red Star Belgrade after the loan deal ended, playing regularly in the top-flight Yugoslav League
Serbian Superliga
Serbian SuperLiga is a Serbian professional league for football clubs. At the top of the Serbian football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 16 clubs, operating a system of promotion and relegation with the Serbian First League...
with coach Zoran Filipović
Zoran Filipovic
Zoran Filipović was a player of great success in the 1970s and 1980s for Red Star Belgrade and SL Benfica...
. He won the 2001–02 Yugoslav Cup
Yugoslav Cup
The Yugoslav Cup, officially the Marshal Tito Cup, was one of two major football competitions in the former Yugoslavia, the other one being the Yugoslav League Championship. The Yugoslav Cup took place after the league championships when every competitive league in Yugoslavia had finished, in order...
with Red Star. Vidić quickly gained the captain's armband, and during his three years as captain, he scored 12 goals in 67 matches, and ended his Red Star Belgrade career on a high note by leading the club to a domestic double. He won the 2004 Serbia and Montenegro League and Serbia and Montenegro Cup
Serbian Cup
The Serbian Cup is the national football cup of Serbia. For sponsorship reasons it is referred to in the media as Lav Cup of Serbia since 2007.The winner of the competition gets a spot in the UEFA Europa League qualifying round.-Sponsorship:...
trophies with Red Star Belgrade, and in July 2004, he joined Russian Premier League
Russian Premier League
The Russian Premier League , currently called SOGAZ Russian Football Championship due to sponsorship reasons, is the top division of Russian football. There are 16 teams in the competition...
side Spartak Moscow
FC Spartak Moscow
FC Spartak Moscow is a Russian football club from Moscow. Having won 12 Soviet championships and 9 of 19 Russian championships they are one of the country's most successful clubs. They have also won the Soviet Cup 10 times and the Russian Cup 3 times...
. The details of the transfer were not revealed although it was reported that Vidić became the most expensive defender in the history of the Russian Premier League.
Manchester United
After playing two seasons at Spartak MoscowFC Spartak Moscow
FC Spartak Moscow is a Russian football club from Moscow. Having won 12 Soviet championships and 9 of 19 Russian championships they are one of the country's most successful clubs. They have also won the Soviet Cup 10 times and the Russian Cup 3 times...
, Vidić signed for Manchester United for a fee of around £7 million on 25 December 2005, and joined the club on 5 January 2006 after his work permit
Work permit
Work permit is a generic term for a legal authorization which allows a person to take employment.It is most often used in reference to instances where a person is given permission to work in a country where one does not hold citizenship, but is also used in reference to minors, who in some...
was granted. This was two and a half years after Manchester United's reported interest in him. On this occasion, United beat out stiff competition for Vidić's signature as his transfer to ACF Fiorentina
ACF Fiorentina
ACF Fiorentina, commonly referred to as simply Fiorentina, is a professional Italian football club from Florence, Tuscany. Founded by a merger in 1926, Fiorentina have played at the top level of Italian football for the majority of their existence; only four clubs have played in more Serie A...
had already been agreed with the club's sporting director Pantaleo Corvino
Pantaleo Corvino
Pantaleo Corvino is an Italian director of football, currently working for Italian Serie A club ACF Fiorentina....
. Since Fiorentina had to wait in order to complete the signing due to not having any free non-EU spots on its roster at the moment, United stepped in and got Vidić in the meantime. He was assigned the number 15 shirt and on 25 January 2006 he made his debut for Manchester United as a substitute for Ruud van Nistelrooy
Ruud van Nistelrooy
Rutgerus Johannes Martinus "Ruud" van Nistelrooy, , is a Dutch footballer who plays as a striker for Málaga CF in Spain's La Liga. He is the second-highest goalscorer in Champions League history with 60 goals...
in the dying minutes of a 2–1 win in the Carling Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
semi-final second leg against Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
. On 16 February 2006, Vidić won his first trophy with United, coming on in the 83rd minute for Wes Brown
Wes Brown
Wesley Michael "Wes" Brown is an English footballer who plays as a defender for Sunderland. Before joining Sunderland, Brown had spent his entire career at Old Trafford, having joined the Manchester United youth team in 1996...
in the 2006 Carling Cup final win against Wigan Athletic
Wigan Athletic F.C.
Wigan Athletic Football Club is an English Premier League Association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, having been promoted from the Championship in 2005. Wigan's current spell in the Premier League is the only top flight run in the club's history.They have played at the DW...
.
During the 2006–07 Premier league season, Vidić formed a partnership with Rio Ferdinand
Rio Ferdinand
Rio Gavin Ferdinand is an English footballer. He plays at centre back for Manchester United in the Premier League and for the England national football team...
in the centre of defence, which has since become one of the most prominent partnerships in European football, and has become an established first team player. In his first full season playing for Manchester United, he made 25 appearances in the Premier League and ended the season winning his first league medal.
Vidić scored his first ever goal for Manchester United on 14 October 2006 against Wigan Athletic
Wigan Athletic F.C.
Wigan Athletic Football Club is an English Premier League Association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, having been promoted from the Championship in 2005. Wigan's current spell in the Premier League is the only top flight run in the club's history.They have played at the DW...
; United won 3–1. He scored his second goal in a 3–0 win over Portsmouth
Portsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
on 4 November, his first goal at Manchester United's Old Trafford
Old Trafford
Old Trafford commonly refers to two sporting arenas:* Old Trafford, home of Manchester United F.C.* Old Trafford Cricket Ground, home of Lancashire County Cricket ClubOld Trafford can also refer to:...
stadium. He scored his first Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
goal for Manchester United against Benfica on 6 December in the group stages, a match which Manchester United won 3–1.
On 8 November 2007, Vidić signed a five-year contract extension, keeping him at Manchester United until 2012. At the end of the 2007–08 season
Premier League 2007–08
The 2007–08 Premier League season was the sixteenth since its establishment. The first matches of the season were played on 11 August 2007, and the season ended on 11 May 2008...
, he earned his second consecutive Premier League
Premier League 2007–08
The 2007–08 Premier League season was the sixteenth since its establishment. The first matches of the season were played on 11 August 2007, and the season ended on 11 May 2008...
medal. He was also a part of the squad which won the 2008 UEFA Champions League Final
2008 UEFA Champions League Final
The 2008 UEFA Champions League Final was a football match that took place on Wednesday, 21 May 2008 at 20:45 CEST . The match was played at the Luzhniki Stadium, in Moscow, Russia, to determine the winner of the 2007–08 UEFA Champions League...
versus Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
—his first European medal. During United's 2007–08 season, he made 32 league appearances and scored one goal.
During the 2008–09 season, Vidić was a pivotal part of the United defence in the absence of a number of other defenders during various parts of the season. He started every match in the British Football League-record run of 14 consecutive clean sheets
Shutout
In team sports, a shutout refers to a game in which one team prevents the opposing team from scoring. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball....
in Premier League matches. Towards the end of the 2008–09 season, Vidić was shortlisted for the PFA Player of the Year award, along with another four Manchester United players; he was considered the favourite to receive the accolade that was later awarded to his team-mate Ryan Giggs
Ryan Giggs
Ryan Joseph Giggs OBE is a Welsh professional footballer who plays for Manchester United. Giggs made his first appearance for the club during the 1990–91 season and has been a regular player since the 1991–92 season...
. Vidić was later named as the Manchester United fans' player of the year and players' player of the year, taking over from Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro, OIH, , commonly known as Cristiano Ronaldo, is a Portuguese footballer who plays as a winger or striker for Spanish La Liga club Real Madrid and is the captain of the Portuguese national team...
, who won both awards in 2007–08. During the Carling Cup final Vidic had to play at right back when he replaced John O'Shea
John O'Shea
John O'Shea can refer to:*John O'Shea, Irish footballer with Sunderland*John O'Shea , New Zealand film director*John O'Shea *John O'Shea , Wales international rugby union footballer*John O'Shea...
.
Praised for his aggressive no-nonsense defensive style by his Manchester United teammates, he is highly regarded for bravery. Because of this, he enjoys a cult status among United faithful and is often compared to former Manchester United defender Steve Bruce
Steve Bruce
Stephen Roger "Steve" Bruce is an English football manager and former player. Born in Corbridge, Northumberland, he was a promising schoolboy footballer but was rejected by a number of professional clubs. He was on the verge of quitting the game altogether when he was offered a trial with Gillingham...
for having similar characteristics.
On 25 October 2009, Vidić was again sent off against Liverpool in a 2–0 defeat, marking the third consecutive game against their fiercest rivals in which he had been shown a red card. However, on 21 March 2010 he managed to play a full 90 minutes in a 2–1 win against Liverpool at Old Trafford and again on 19 September 2010, this time a 3–2 victory.
On 23 July 2010, it was reported that Vidić had extended his contract with Manchester United by agreeing to a new long-term contract, ending long-running speculation of a move to Real Madrid
Real Madrid C.F.
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
. The new four-year contract was signed on 20 August. Vidić scored his first goal of the season on 11 September away to Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
to put his side 2–1 up, the game ending with a dramatic finish with the final score 3–3. After captaining Manchester United for the first five matches of the 2010–11 season
2010–11 Manchester United F.C. season
The 2010–11 season was Manchester United's 19th season in the Premier League, and their 36th consecutive season in the top-flight of English football...
, Sir Alex Ferguson
Alex Ferguson
Sir Alexander Chapman "Alex" Ferguson, CBE is a Scottish association football manager and former player, currently managing Manchester United, where he has been in charge since 1986...
later confirmed that Vidić had taken over from Gary Neville
Gary Neville
Gary Alexander Neville is a former English footballer. He is England's most capped right-back and was Manchester United's club captain for five years....
as team and club captain on a permanent basis. On 30 October, Vidić scored his first home goal of the season in a 2–0 league win against Tottenham Hotspur, his goal was the 1000th to be scored at Old Trafford
Old Trafford
Old Trafford commonly refers to two sporting arenas:* Old Trafford, home of Manchester United F.C.* Old Trafford Cricket Ground, home of Lancashire County Cricket ClubOld Trafford can also refer to:...
in the Premier League. On 13 November 2010 Vidić scored his third goal of the season in a 2–2 away draw against Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
in the 85th minute to grab United a point from a 2–0 deficit. On 1 February, Vidić scored against Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
at Old Trafford with a powerful drive inside the penalty area, and United won 3–1.
On 1 March 2011, Vidić was sent off in stoppage time in an intense match against Chelsea for a foul on Ramires. Chelsea won 2–1. Vidic got his revenge on 8 May 2011 when he scored against Chelsea to end their title aspirations in a 2–1 victory and propelled United toward a record breaking 19th Premier league title, a feat which was completed the following week at Blackburn Rovers.
In August 2011, Vidic started the season opening game, the 2011 FA Community Shield
2011 FA Community Shield
The 2011 FA Community Shield was the 89th FA Community Shield, an annual football match contested by the winners of the previous season's Premier League and FA Cup competitions. The match was the 160th Manchester derby between Manchester United and Manchester City and played at Wembley Stadium,...
at Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
. However Vidic was taken off at half time along with partner Rio Ferdinand
Rio Ferdinand
Rio Gavin Ferdinand is an English footballer. He plays at centre back for Manchester United in the Premier League and for the England national football team...
as United trailed 2-0 to Manchester City. In the second half, United turned the game around and won 3-2. Vidic went on to lift the Shield as the captain, claiming his fourth Community Shield medal of his career. A week later Vidic started in Manchester United's opening Premier League fixture of the season at West Bromwich Albion, but was taken off during the second half with a calf injury. After the match it was initially thought that Vidic would only miss a couple of weeks, however a further diagnosis found the injury to be worse than first feared sidelining him for five weeks. He missed the wins against Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
, Bolton Wanderers, Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
and the 1-1 draw against Stoke City FC. He also missed the first two UEFA Champions League games of the season against Benfica and FC Basel
FC Basel
Fussball Club Basel 1893, widely known as FC Basel is a Swiss football club based in Basel. They are one of the most successful clubs in Swiss football, having won the Swiss Super League 14 times, the third most for any Swiss club. They were most successful in the late 1960s and 1970s, winning the...
, both ending in draws. After additionally missing the 2-0 home win against Norwich City FC on 1 October 2011, Sir Alex Ferguson indicated that he hoped Vidić would be back for the match against Liverpool FC
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
at Anfield on 15 October 2011. He did not make the match at Anfield, but returned in the following game in the UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
against FC Oțelul Galați
FC Otelul Galati
Fotbal Club Oțelul Galați is a Romanian football club based in Galați . They have spent the majority of the last few decades in the top division, securing several seasons of European football and enjoying success in the Romanian Cup. They won their first league title in the 2010–2011 season and...
. United won the game 2-0, however Vidić was sent off midway through the second half for a high challenge, in what was arguably a harsh decision. After the match, Sir Alex Ferguson said he could see why the referee gave the decision and that the club would not appeal, meaning Vidic now serves a European suspension. After missing the Manchester Derby the following weekend which Manchster United heavily lost 6-1 to Manchester City, Vidic played his first full 90 minutes of the season against Aldershot Town in a 4th round Carling Cup tie, which United won 3-0. He made his return to Premier League action at Goodison Park
Goodison Park
Goodison Park is a football stadium located in Walton, Liverpool, England. The stadium has been home to Everton F.C. since its completion in 1892 and is one of the world's first purpose-built football grounds...
in a 1-0 win against Everton
Everton
Everton is a district of Liverpool, in Merseyside, England and a Liverpool City Council ward. At the 2001 Census the population was recorded as 7,398.-Toponymy:...
.
International career
A Yugoslavian youth international, he made his senior debut on 12 October 2002 against ItalyItaly national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
in UEFA Euro 2004 qualification. Vidić was part of Serbia-Montenegro's "Famous Four" defence, alongside Mladen Krstajić
Mladen Krstajic
Mladen Krstajić is a former Serbian footballer who currently works as a director of football for FK Partizan.-Early life:...
, Ivica Dragutinović
Ivica Dragutinovic
Ivica Dragutinović , sometimes just Drago, is a Serbian footballer.Mainly a central defender, he can also operate as a defensive left back...
and Goran Gavrančić
Goran Gavrancic
Goran Gavrančić is a former Serbian football defender.-Club career:His career began at Čukarički Stankom, having played for Crvena zvezda as a youth. His performances at Čukarički caught the eye of Dynamo Kyiv manager Valeriy Lobanovskyi and the Ukrainian club purchased him in January 2001...
, that conceded just one goal during the ten 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification matches, setting a new record for the fewest goals conceded. Vidić played a major part in the last qualification game, against Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team
The Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team is the national football team of Bosnia and Herzegovina, governed by the Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina...
, in which Serbia-Montenegro won 1–0 and secured qualification, Vidić was given the red card five minutes before the end. Vidić missed out on Serbia-Montenegro's opening group stage match against the Netherlands
Netherlands national football team
The Netherlands National Football Team represents the Netherlands in association football and is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association , the governing body for football in the Netherlands...
through suspension from his previous red card, and on 12 June 2006 he injured his left knee ligament
Ligament
In anatomy, the term ligament is used to denote any of three types of structures. Most commonly, it refers to fibrous tissue that connects bones to other bones and is also known as articular ligament, articular larua, fibrous ligament, or true ligament.Ligament can also refer to:* Peritoneal...
s during training and he did not play any games at the 2006 World Cup. After the 2006 World Cup, Vidić went on to represent the national team, now independent as the Serbian national team
Serbia national football team
The Serbia national football team represents Serbia in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of Serbia, the governing body for football in Serbia. Serbia's home ground is Stadion Crvena Zvezda in Belgrade and their last head coach was Vladimir Petrović...
. He was a regular during 2010 World Cup qualifying
2010 FIFA World Cup qualification - UEFA Group 7
The 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification UEFA Group 7 was a UEFA qualifying group for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The group comprised France, Romania, Serbia, Lithuania, Austria and Faroe Islands....
when fit and was instrumental as Serbia finished top of their group ahead of the likes of France and Romania with the best defensive record. Serbia had less luck at the 2010 FIFA World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
, and came in last place in Group D
2010 FIFA World Cup Group D
Group D of the 2010 FIFA World Cup began on 13 June and ended on 23 June 2010. The group consisted of Germany, Australia, Serbia and Ghana. Along with Group G, it was considered to be a group of death....
. On the 24 October 2011, Vidić announced his retirement from international football due to negative comments by Serbian public and media about his recent performances.
International goals
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | CompetitionClub
Statistics accurate as of match played 26 November 2011 International | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 2002 | 3 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2003 | 3 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2004 | 3 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2005 | 9 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2006 | 4 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007 | 5 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2008 | 9 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009 | 8 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010 | 9 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2011 | 2 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 55 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International appearances and goals | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Final Score | Goal | Result | Competition |
| 2002 | |||||||
| 1. | 12 October 2002 | Stadio San Paolo Stadio San Paolo Stadio San Paolo is a multi-purpose stadium in the western suburb of Fuorigrotta in Naples, Italy, and is the third largest football stadium in Italy after the San Siro and Stadio Olimpico. For the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, it hosted the football preliminaries. It is currently used mostly for... , Naples Naples Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples... , Italy |
1–1 | 0 | Draw | UEFA Euro 2004 qualifying | |
| 2. | 16 October 2002 | Crvena Zvezda, Belgrade Belgrade Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe... , Serbia and Montenegro |
2–0 | 0 | Win | UEFA Euro 2004 qualifying | |
| 3. | 20 November 2002 | Stade de France Stade de France The Stade de France is the national stadium of France, situated just north of Paris in the commune of Saint-Denis. It has an all-seater capacity of 80,000, making it the fifth largest stadium in Europe, and is used by both the France national football team and French rugby union team for... , Saint-Denis Saint-Denis Saint-Denis is a commune in the northern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris. Saint-Denis is a sous-préfecture of the Seine-Saint-Denis département, being the seat of the Arrondissement of Saint-Denis.... , France |
0–3 | 0 | Loss | Friendly Exhibition game An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition... |
|
| 2003 | |||||||
| 4. | 30 April 2003 | Weserstadion Weserstadion The Weserstadion is a multi-purpose stadium in Bremen, Germany. The stadium is scenically situated on the north bank of the Weser River and is surrounded by lush green parks . The city center is only about a kilometer away... , Bremen Bremen The City Municipality of Bremen is a Hanseatic city in northwestern Germany. A commercial and industrial city with a major port on the river Weser, Bremen is part of the Bremen-Oldenburg metropolitan area . Bremen is the second most populous city in North Germany and tenth in Germany.Bremen is... , Germany |
0-1 | 0 | Loss | Friendly | |
| 5. | 3 June 2003 | Walkers Stadium Walkers Stadium The King Power Stadium is a football stadium which hosts home matches of English football club Leicester City. The all-seater stadium, inaugurated in July 2002, holds 32,500 and has the 19th largest stadium capacity in England. The stadium is named after King Power, a company owned by club owner... , Leicester Leicester Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest... , England |
1–2 | 0 | Loss | Friendly | |
| 6. | 7 June 2003 | Olympiastadion Helsinki Olympic Stadium The Helsinki Olympic Stadium , located in the Töölö district about from the center of the Finnish capital Helsinki, is the largest stadium in the country, nowadays mainly used for hosting sports events and big concerts. The stadium is best known for being the center of activities in the 1952... , Helsinki Helsinki Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is... , Finland |
0-3 | 0 | Loss | UEFA Euro 2004 qualifying | |
| 2004 | |||||||
| 7. | 18 August 2004 | Bežigrad Stadium, Ljubljana Ljubljana Ljubljana is the capital of Slovenia and its largest city. It is the centre of the City Municipality of Ljubljana. It is located in the centre of the country in the Ljubljana Basin, and is a mid-sized city of some 270,000 inhabitants... , Slovenia |
1-1 | 0 | Draw | Friendly | |
| 8. | 4 September 2004 | Stadio Olimpico Stadio Olimpico (San Marino) Stadio Olimpico is a multi-purpose stadium in Serravalle, San Marino. It is currently used mostly for football matches. It is the national stadium of San Marino, and is also used by the club San Marino Calcio, which plays in the Italian football league. The Stadio Olimpico was also used by... , Serravalle Serravalle Serravalle is a common placename in Italian speaking regions: the name means "place where the valley narrows".-Italy:Municipalities :* Serravalle a Po, in Mantova Province* Serravalle di Chienti, in Macerata Province... , San Marino |
3-0 | 0 | Win | 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification A total of 197 teams entered the qualification process for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, competing for a total of 32 spots in the final tournament. Germany, as the host, qualified automatically, leaving 31 spots open for competition... |
|
| 9. | 17 November 2004 | Stade du Roi Baudouin King Baudouin Stadium The King Baudouin Stadium is a sports ground in north-west Brussels, Belgium. It was inaugurated on 23 August 1930 as the Stade du Jubilé or Jubelstadion in the presence of Prince Leopold. It was built to embellish the Heysel plateau in view of the Brussels International Exposition... , Brussels Brussels Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union... , Belgium |
2-0 | 0 | Win | 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification | |
| 2005 | |||||||
| 10. | 9 February 2005 | Vasil Levski Stadium, Sofia Sofia Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated... , Bulgaria |
0–0 | 0 | Draw | Friendly | |
| 11. | 30 March 2005 | Crvena Zvezda, Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro | 0-0 | 0 | Draw | 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification | |
| 12. | 4 June 2005 | Crvena Zvezda, Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro | 0-0 | 0 | Draw | 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification | |
| 13. | 15 August 2005 | Lobanovsky Dynamo Stadium Lobanovsky Dynamo Stadium Dynamo Stadium named after Valeriy Lobanovskiy is a football stadium in Kiev, Ukraine. It is currently used for football matches, and is the home of FC Dynamo Kyiv... , Kiev Kiev Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press.... , Ukraine |
2-3 | 1 | Loss | Valeri Lobanovsky Memorial Tournament Valeri Lobanovsky Memorial Tournament Valeri Lobanovsky Memorial Tournament ; and since 2005 it is called the International Valeri Lobanovsky Memorial Tournament . This tournament was created in honour and memory of Valeri Lobanovsky since his death on 13 May 2002, hence the name Memorial. The idea was initiated by the FC Dynamo Kyiv... |
|
| 14. | 17 August 2005 | Lobanovsky Dynamo Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine | 1-2 | 0 | Loss | Valeri Lobanovsky Memorial Tournament | |
| 15. | 3 September 2005 | Crvena Zvezda, Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro | 2–0 | 0 | Win | 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification | |
| 16. | 7 September 2005 | Vicente Calderón Vicente Calderón Stadium The Vicente Calderón Stadium is the home stadium of La Liga football club Atlético Madrid and is located in the Arganzuela district of Spanish capital Madrid. The stadium was originally called the Manzanares Stadium, but this was later changed to the Vicente Calderón Stadium, after the famous... , Madrid Madrid Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan... , Spain |
1–1 | 0 | Draw | 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification | |
| 17. | 8 October 2005 | Vetra Stadium Vetra Stadium LFF Stadium , formerly known as Vėtra Stadium, is a multi-purpose stadium in Vilnius, Lithuania. Currently is under construction to meet level 3 UEFA stadium status. Before it was used mostly for football matches and was the home stadium of FK Vėtra. The stadium holds 5 500 people and was built... , Vilnius Vilnius Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania, and its largest city, with a population of 560,190 as of 2010. It is the seat of the Vilnius city municipality and of the Vilnius district municipality. It is also the capital of Vilnius County... , Lithuania |
2–0 | 0 | Win | 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification | |
| 18. | 12 October 2005 | Crvena Zvezda, Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro | 1-0 | 0 | Win | 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification | |
| 2006 | |||||||
| 19. | 1 March 2006 | Stade 7 November Stade 7 November National stadium of Rades is a multi-purpose stadium in Rades, Tunisia. It is currently used mostly for football matches and it also has facilities for athletics. The stadium holds 65,000 and was built in 2001 for the 2001 Mediterranean Games and is considered to be one of the best stadiums in... , Radès Radès Radès is a harbour city in Ben Arous Governorate, Tunisia. Situated 9 kilometres south-east of the capital Tunis, some consider it a Tunis suburb, and parts of the harbour installations of Tunis are located in Radès.... , Tunisia |
1–0 | 0 | Win | Friendly | |
| 20. | 27 May 2006 | Crvena Zvezda, Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro | 1–1 | 0 | Draw | Friendly | |
| 21. | 7 October 2006 | Crvena Zvezda, Belgrade, Serbia | 1-0 | 0 | Win | UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying | |
| 22. | 15 November 2006 | Crvena Zvezda, Belgrade, Serbia | 1-1 | 1 | Draw | Friendly | |
| 2007 | |||||||
| 23. | 24 March 2007 | Tcentralny Almaty Central Stadium The Almaty Central Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Almaty, Kazakhstan. It is currently used mostly for football matches. The stadium is shared by FC Kairat Almaty. It also serves the home stadium for the Kazakhstan national football team.... , Almaty Almaty Almaty , also known by its former names Verny and Alma-Ata , is the former capital of Kazakhstan and the nation's largest city, with a population of 1,348,500... , Kazakhstan |
1–2 | 0 | Loss | UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying | |
| 24. | 28 March 2007 | Crvena Zvezda, Belgrade, Serbia | 1–1 | 0 | Draw | UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying | |
| 25. | 2 June 2007 | Olympiastadion, Helsinki, Finland | 2-0 | 0 | Win | UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying | |
| 26. | 22 August 2007 | Stade du Roi Baudouin, Brussels, Belgium | 2-3 | 0 | Loss | UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying | |
| 27. | 12 September 2007 | Estádio José Alvalade Estádio José Alvalade Estádio José Alvalade is a football stadium in Lisbon, Portugal, home of Sporting Clube de Portugal, one of the country's biggest clubs. It is the center of a complex called Alvalade XXI , designed by Portuguese architect... , Lisbon Lisbon Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban... , Portugal |
1–1 | 0 | Draw | UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying | |
| 2008 | |||||||
| 28. | 6 February 2008 | Gradski stadion, Skopje Skopje Skopje is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Macedonia with about a third of the total population. It is the country's political, cultural, economic, and academic centre... , Macedonia |
1–1 | 0 | Draw | Friendly | |
| 29. | 26 March 2008 | Lobanovsky Dynamo Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine | 0-2 | 0 | Loss | Friendly | |
| 30. | 28 May 2008 | Wacker Sportpark Wacker Arena Wacker Arena is a multi-use stadium in Burghausen, Germany. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home stadium of SV Wacker Burghausen. The stadium is able to hold 10,000 people.... , Burghausen Burghausen, Altötting Burghausen is the largest city in the Altötting district of Oberbayern in Germany. It is situated on the Salzach river, near the border with Austria. Its castle, atop a ridge, is the longest castle in Europe .- History :... , Germany |
1-2 | 0 | Loss | Friendly | |
| 31. | 31 May 2008 | Veltins Arena, Gelsenkirchen Gelsenkirchen Gelsenkirchen is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located in the northern part of the Ruhr area. Its population in 2006 was c. 267,000.... , Germany |
1-2 | 0 | Loss | Friendly | |
| 32. | 6 September 2008 | Crvena Zvezda, Belgrade, Serbia | 2-0 | 0 | Win | 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification The qualification competition for the 2010 FIFA World Cup was a series of tournaments organised by the six FIFA confederations. Each confederation — the AFC , CAF , CONCACAF , CONMEBOL , OFC , and UEFA — was allocated a certain number of the 32 places at the tournament... |
|
| 33. | 10 September 2008 | Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France | 1-2 | 0 | Loss | 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification | |
| 34. | 11 October 2008 | Crvena Zvezda, Belgrade, Serbia | 3-0 | 0 | Win | 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification | |
| 35. | 11 October 2008 | Ernst-Happel-Stadion, Vienna Vienna Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre... , Austria |
3-1 | 0 | Win | 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification | |
| 36. | 19 November 2008 | Crvena Zvezda, Belgrade, Serbia | 6-1 | 0 | Win | Friendly | |
| 2009 | |||||||
| 37. | 10 February 2009 | Neo GSP, Nicosia Nicosia Nicosia from , known locally as Lefkosia , is the capital and largest city in Cyprus, as well as its main business center. Nicosia is the only divided capital in the world, with the southern and the northern portions divided by a Green Line... , Cyprus |
2-0 | 0 | Win | Cyprus Tournament 2009 | |
| 38. | 28 March 2009 | Stadionul Farul, Constanța Constanta Constanța is the oldest extant city in Romania, founded around 600 BC. The city is located in the Dobruja region of Romania, on the Black Sea coast. It is the capital of Constanța County and the largest city in the region.... , Romania |
3-2 | 0 | Win | 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification | |
| 39. | 1 April 2009 | Partizan, Belgrade, Serbia | 2-0 | 0 | Win | Friendly | |
| 40. | 6 June 2009 | Crvena Zvezda, Belgrade, Serbia | 1–0 | 0 | Win | 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification | |
| 41. | 9 September 2009 | Crvena Zvezda, Belgrade, Serbia | 1-1 | 0 | Draw | 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification | |
| 42. | 10 October 2009 | Crvena Zvezda, Belgrade, Serbia | 5-0 | 0 | Win | 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification | |
| 43. | 14 November 2009 | Windsor Park Windsor Park Windsor Park is a football stadium in Belfast, Northern Ireland and the home ground of Linfield F.C. and the Northern Ireland national football team. It is also where the Irish Cup and Irish League Cup finals are played.-History:... , Belfast Belfast Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly... , Northern Ireland |
1–0 | 0 | Win | Friendly | |
| 44. | 26 March 2009 | Craven Cottage Craven Cottage Craven Cottage is the name of a football stadium in the Hammersmith and Fulham area that has been the home ground of the association football team Fulham F.C. since 1896.... , London London London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its... , England |
1-0 | 0 | Win | Friendly | |
| 2010 | |||||||
| 45. | 29 May 2010 | Hypo-Arena, Klagenfurt Klagenfurt -Name:Carinthia's eminent linguists Primus Lessiak and Eberhard Kranzmayer assumed that the city's name, which literally translates as "ford of lament" or "ford of complaints", had something to do with the superstitious thought that fateful fairies or demons tend to live around treacherous waters... , Austria |
0-1 | 0 | Loss | Friendly | |
| 46. | 13 June 2010 | Loftus Versfeld Stadium Loftus Versfeld Stadium Loftus Versfeld Stadium is a rugby and association football stadium situated in Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa. The stadium has a capacity of 51,762 for rugby union and hosted the 2009 Currie Cup final... , Pretoria Pretoria Pretoria is a city located in the northern part of Gauteng Province, South Africa. It is one of the country's three capital cities, serving as the executive and de facto national capital; the others are Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Bloemfontein, the judicial capital.Pretoria is... , South Africa |
0-1 | 0 | Loss | 2010 FIFA World Cup 2010 FIFA World Cup The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010... |
|
| 47. | 18 June 2010 | Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium is a 48,000-seater stadium in Port Elizabeth.The five-tier, R2 billion Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium was built overlooking the North End Lake, at the heart of the city. It is one of three coastal stadiums built in anticipation of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. It regularly hosts... , Port Elizabeth, South Africa |
1-0 | 0 | Win | 2010 FIFA World Cup | |
| 48. | 23 June 2010 | Mbombela Stadium Mbombela Stadium Mbombela Stadium is a newly built, all-seater, 40,929-seat stadium and was one of the ten venues for the FIFA World Cup 2010. It is located on open land six kilometres west of Nelspruit, South Africa, the capital of the Mpumalanga province.... , Nelspruit Nelspruit Nelspruit is a city of more than 500,000 people situated in northeastern South Africa. It is the capital of the Mpumalanga province . Located on the Crocodile River, Nelspruit lies about west of the Mozambique border and east of Johannesburg. The towns of Nelspruit are Kanyamazane and Pienaar... , South Africa |
1–2 | 0 | Loss | 2010 FIFA World Cup | |
| 49. | 11 August 2010 | Crvena Zvezda, Belgrade, Serbia | 0-1 | 0 | Loss | Friendly | |
| 50. | 3 September 2010 | Torsvollur, Torshavn Tórshavn Tórshavn is the capital and largest town of the Faroe Islands. It is located in the southern part on the east coast of Streymoy. To the north west of the town lies the high mountain Húsareyn, and to the southwest, the high Kirkjubøreyn... , Faroe Islands |
3-0 | 0 | Win | UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying The qualifying competition for UEFA Euro 2012 is a series of parallel association football competitions held over 2010 and 2011 to decide the qualifiers for UEFA Euro 2012, to be held in Poland and Ukraine... |
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| 51. | 7 September 2010 | Crvena Zvezda, Belgrade, Serbia | 1–1 | 0 | Draw | UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying | |
| 52. | 8 October 2010 | Partizan, Belgrade, Serbia | 1-3 | 0 | Loss | UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying | |
| 53. | 17 November 2010 | Vasil Levski Stadium, Sofia, Bulgaria | 1–0 | 0 | Win | Friendly | |
| 2011 | |||||||
| 54. | 29 March 2011 | A. Le Coq Arena A. Le Coq Arena A. Le Coq Arena is a football stadium in Tallinn, Estonia. As well as football matches, it also hosts various concerts and events. According to the plan, the stadium is unfinished.... , Tallinn Tallinn Tallinn is the capital and largest city of Estonia. It occupies an area of with a population of 414,940. It is situated on the northern coast of the country, on the banks of the Gulf of Finland, south of Helsinki, east of Stockholm and west of Saint Petersburg. Tallinn's Old Town is in the list... , Estonia |
1-1 | 0 | Draw | UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying | |
| 55. | 10 August 2011 | Luzhniki Stadium Luzhniki Stadium The Grand Sports Arena of the Luzhniki Olympic Complex in Moscow, or briefly Luzhniki Stadium , is the biggest sports stadium in Russia. Its total seating capacity is 78,360 seats, all covered. The stadium is a part of the Luzhniki Olympic Complex, previously called the Central Lenin Stadium... , Moscow Moscow Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent... , Russia |
0-1 | 0 | Loss | Friendly | |
Club
Red Star Belgrade- First League of Serbia and MontenegroSerbian SuperligaSerbian SuperLiga is a Serbian professional league for football clubs. At the top of the Serbian football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 16 clubs, operating a system of promotion and relegation with the Serbian First League...
(1): 2003–04 - Yugoslav CupYugoslav CupThe Yugoslav Cup, officially the Marshal Tito Cup, was one of two major football competitions in the former Yugoslavia, the other one being the Yugoslav League Championship. The Yugoslav Cup took place after the league championships when every competitive league in Yugoslavia had finished, in order...
(1): 2001–02 - Serbia and Montenegro CupSerbia and Montenegro CupThe Serbia and Montenegro Cup is a defunct cup tournament. The competition was formed in 2003 after FR Yugoslavia had changed its name to Serbia and Montenegro on February 4, 2003. The format from this tournament did not change at all from that of the Yugoslav Cup the only difference was the name...
(1): 2003–04
Manchester United
- Premier League (4): 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2010–112010–11 Premier LeagueThe 2010–11 Premier League was the 19th season of the Premier League since its establishment in 1992. The 2010–11 fixtures were released on 17 June 2010 at 09:00 BST. The season began on 14 August 2010, and ended on 22 May 2011...
- Football League CupFootball League CupThe Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
(3): 2005–06, 2008–092009 Football League Cup FinalThe 2009 Football League Cup Final was the final match of the 2008–09 Football League Cup, the 49th season of the Football League Cup, a football competition for the 92 teams in the Premier League and The Football League...
, 2009–102010 Football League Cup FinalThe 2010 Football League Cup Final was the final match of the 2009–10 Football League Cup, the 50th season of the Football League Cup, a football competition for the 92 teams in the Premier League and The Football League. The match, played at Wembley Stadium on 28 February 2010, was won by... - FA Community ShieldFA Community ShieldThe Football Association Community Shield is English football's annual match contested between the champions of the previous Premier League season and the holders of the FA Cup at Wembley Stadium. If the Premier League champions also won the FA Cup then the league runners-up provide the opposition...
(4): 20072007 FA Community ShieldThe 2007 FA Community Shield was a football match played on 5 August 2007 between 2006–07 Premier League champions Manchester United and 2006–07 FA Cup winners Chelsea. Manchester United won the game 3–0 on penalties, after the match finished 1–1 after 90 minutes; the Community Shield...
, 20082008 FA Community ShieldThe 2008 FA Community Shield was a football match played on 10 August 2008 between 2007–08 Premier League champions Manchester United and 2007–08 FA Cup winners Portsmouth as the "curtain-raiser" to the 2008–09 English football season...
, 20102010 FA Community ShieldThe 2010 FA Community Shield was the 88th FA Community Shield, an annual football match contested by the winners of the previous season's Premier League and FA Cup competitions. The match was played at Wembley Stadium, London, on 8 August 2010, and contested by league and cup double winners Chelsea...
, 20112011 FA Community ShieldThe 2011 FA Community Shield was the 89th FA Community Shield, an annual football match contested by the winners of the previous season's Premier League and FA Cup competitions. The match was the 160th Manchester derby between Manchester United and Manchester City and played at Wembley Stadium,... - UEFA Champions LeagueUEFA Champions LeagueThe UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
(1): 2007–082008 UEFA Champions League FinalThe 2008 UEFA Champions League Final was a football match that took place on Wednesday, 21 May 2008 at 20:45 CEST . The match was played at the Luzhniki Stadium, in Moscow, Russia, to determine the winner of the 2007–08 UEFA Champions League... - FIFA Club World CupFIFA Club World CupThe FIFA Club World Cup is a football competition between the champion clubs from all six continental confederations.The first FIFA Club World Championship took place in Brazil in January 2000...
(1): 20082008 FIFA Club World Cup FinalThe 2008 FIFA Club World Cup Final was the final match of the 2008 FIFA Club World Cup, a football tournament for the champion clubs from each of FIFA's six continental confederations. The match took place at the International Stadium of Yokohama, Japan, on 21 December 2008, and pitted South...
Individual
- Serbia's Overseas Player of the Year (4): 2005 (with Spartak MoscowFC Spartak MoscowFC Spartak Moscow is a Russian football club from Moscow. Having won 12 Soviet championships and 9 of 19 Russian championships they are one of the country's most successful clubs. They have also won the Soviet Cup 10 times and the Russian Cup 3 times...
), 2007, 2008, 2010 (with Manchester United) - Serbian Footballer of the YearSerbian Footballer of the YearSerbian Footballer of the Year is an annual award given from Football Association of Serbia to the best player of the year.Originally it has been awarded the Football Association of Serbia and Montenegro.- Winners :- Trivia :...
(2): 2005 (with Spartak Moscow), 2008 (with Manchester United) - PFA Premier League Team of the YearPFA Team of the YearThe Professional Footballers' Association Team of the Year is an annual award given to a set of 44 footballers in the top four tiers of English football; the Premier League, the Championship, League One and League Two, whom are seen to be deserving of being named in a "Team of the Year".The award...
(4): 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2010–11 - Premier League Player of the MonthPremier League Player of the MonthThe Player of the Month is an association football award that recognises the best Premier League player each month of the season. The recipient is chosen by a panel assembled by the League's sponsor, and announced alongside the Manager of the Month on the first or second Friday of the following month...
(1): January 2009 - Premier League Player of the SeasonPremier League Player of the SeasonThe Premier League Player of the Season, referred to as Barclays Player of the Season form 2005 in reference to official primary Premier League sponsor Barclays Bank, is an annual award given by the Barclays Awards Panel for the best player of the season as voted by a selection of football's...
(2): 2008–09, 2010–11 - Sir Matt Busby Player of the YearSir Matt Busby Player of the YearThe Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year, previously known as the MUFC Members Player of the Year , is an award presented to the Manchester United fans' player of the season. It is named after former Manchester United manager Sir Matt Busby, who managed the club in two spells, from 1945 to 1969 and...
(1): 2008–09 - ESM Team of the Year (3): 2006–07, 2008–09, 2010–11
- FIFA FIFPro World XI (1): 2008–09
- Serbia's sport association "May award" : 2011 (this honor is awarded only once in a lifetime)
Individual honours
Vidić won Serbia's "Overseas Player of the Year" award for 2005, playing for Spartak Moscow, a poll of the captains of the 16 clubs in the Serbian SuperligaSerbian Superliga
Serbian SuperLiga is a Serbian professional league for football clubs. At the top of the Serbian football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 16 clubs, operating a system of promotion and relegation with the Serbian First League...
that is organized annually by daily newspaper Večernje Novosti
Vecernje novosti
Večernje novosti is a Belgrade-based daily newspaper. Founded in 1953, it quickly grew into a high-circulation daily.It first appeared on stands on October 16, 1953 edited by Slobodan Glumac who set the newspaper's tone for years to come...
. He was once again the recipient of the award in 2007, 2008 and 2010, playing for Manchester United. The executive committee of the Serbian Football Association
Football Association of Serbia
The Football Association of Serbia is the governing body of football in Serbia, based in Belgrade. It organizes Serbian football leagues, namely the Serbian Superliga, the Serbia national football team, as well as the Second Leagues....
named him Player of the year for 2005 and 2008. He was named in the 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, and 2010–11
2010–11 Premier League
The 2010–11 Premier League was the 19th season of the Premier League since its establishment in 1992. The 2010–11 fixtures were released on 17 June 2010 at 09:00 BST. The season began on 14 August 2010, and ended on 22 May 2011...
PFA Premier League Team of the Season
PFA Team of the Year
The Professional Footballers' Association Team of the Year is an annual award given to a set of 44 footballers in the top four tiers of English football; the Premier League, the Championship, League One and League Two, whom are seen to be deserving of being named in a "Team of the Year".The award...
. In addition, he was shortlisted for the 2006–07, 2007–08 and 2008–09 UEFA European Club Defender of the Year
UEFA Club Football Awards
The UEFA Club Football Awards are awards given by UEFA to the most outstanding performers of the European club football season. The awards were presented in August each year at a special gala in Monaco ahead of the UEFA Super Cup. Since 2005, the awards are presented at the UEFA Champions League draw...
and was also shortlisted for the 2006–07 and 2007–08 FIFPro World XI player award and also for the 2008 and 2009 Ballon d'Or award. Vidić was named Premier League Player of the Month
Premier League Player of the Month
The Player of the Month is an association football award that recognises the best Premier League player each month of the season. The recipient is chosen by a panel assembled by the League's sponsor, and announced alongside the Manager of the Month on the first or second Friday of the following month...
for January 2009. He was also named Barclays Player of the Season for 2008–09 and 2010–11, and espnstar.com
Espnstar.com
espnstar.com is a sports news website operated by ESPN Star Sports, a joint venture between ESPN Inc. and STAR TV that broadcasts to audiences in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, India and Southeast Asia. In addition to news, it contains columns and blogs by the network's leading...
's Barclays Premier League Player of the Season and Defender of the Season for 2010-11.
Personal life
On 17 July 2006, Vidić married Ana Ivanović, an economics student at the University of BelgradeUniversity of Belgrade
The University of Belgrade is the oldest and largest university of Serbia.Founded in 1808 as the Belgrade Higher School in revolutionary Serbia, by 1838 it merged with the Kragujevac-based departments into a single university...
(no relation to the Serbian tennis star of the same name
Ana Ivanovic
Ana Ivanović is a former world no. 1 Serbian tennis player. As of November 7, 2011, she is ranked 22th on the WTA rankings. She beat Dinara Safina to win the 2008 French Open and was the runner-up in singles at the 2007 French Open and the 2008 Australian Open...
). Together, they have two sons named Luka and Stefan.