Where is Nemanja Vidic now?
Legendary Manchester United defender Nemanja Vidic retired from playing in January 2016 after a difficult 18 months in Serie A with Inter Milan where he made just 28 appearances.
He ended his career having made nearly 500 first team appearances for just five clubs, the majority at Old Trafford where he formed a formidable link at the back with Rio Ferdinand.
During his time in Manchester he won five Premier League titles, three League Cups, the FIFA Club World Cup and the Champions League as well as winning the Premier League Player of the Season twice and being named in the Team of the Year on four occasions.
His former team-mates heaped praise on him when he hung up his boots with Ferdinand saying ‘He could fight with the most physical, he crunched into tackles, he attacked the ball better than anyone I’ve ever seen. But as he will tell you with a smile, he could also play with the ball too, which made him complete and a great defender’
And legendary United manager Alex Ferguson was quoted as saying “How many centre-halves can you name who actually like defending? Vidic liked it. He loved the challenge of sticking his head in there. You could tell that the thrill of contesting those 50-50 balls animated him.”
Away from the domestic scene, Vidic was also a mainstay for the Serbia national team winning 56 caps and featuring in the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
Reknowned for his tough style of play, he has often been named as one of the hardest defenders to play against by a number of former Premier League strikers including Darren Bent who said:
“You know what’s funny, every time he’d hit you with a knee in your back, or he’d rake down your calf, he’d then be like: ‘Ahh, sorry Benty, sorry!’ That after he’d done it about four times! He was so good, though. He could play….”
In a 2021 interview with The Athletic, Vidic named the four Premier League strikers who he had the toughest times playing against. He named Peter Crouch as one of these players because he’d never dealt with a player of such height along with Didier Drogba who he said was not only strong but also very clever in the way that he was always thinking ahead.
He also listed Luis Suarez as a troublesome opponent because of his energy and his natural instinct and lastly Sergio Aguero who Vidic was convinced was born a defender due to his ability to instinctively know where the ball was coming from and where he could attack.
Upon retiring from playing, Vidic stayed in Milan where his family has settled and says that he is basically a driver for his three boys – driving them to school and football training.
He does however occasionally represent former side Manchester United in an ambassadorial role.
In July 2018, Vidic completed the FA Level 5 (UEFA Pro) in Coaching Football course and has expressed a desire to coach professionally in the future. He is currently enrolled in UEFA’s Executive Master for International Players course which is designed for those who wish to explore a future career in football administration.
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Nemanja Vidic: Premier League Statistics
| Nationality | Serbian |
| Position | Defender |
| Appearances | 211 |
| Goals Scored | 15 |
| Yellow Cards | 39 |
| Red Cards | 6 |
| Premier League Teams Played for | Manchester United |
Statistics courtesy of www.premierleague.com
Last Updated on 2 November 2022 by Admin