Nemanja Vidić

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Nemanja Vidić
Nemanja Vidić playing for Manchester United
Personal information
Full name Nemanja Vidić
Date of birth October 21, 1981 (1981-10-21) (age 26)
Place of birth    Titovo Užice, SFR Yugoslavia
Height 1.89 m (6 ft 2+1⁄2 in)
Playing position Centre back
Club information
Current club Manchester United
Number 15
Youth clubs
1989–1993
1994–1996
1996–2000		 Jedinstvo Užice
Sloboda Užice
Red Star Belgrade
Senior clubs1
Years Club App (Gls)*
2000–2004
2000–2001
2004–2006
2006–		 Red Star Belgrade
→ Spartak Subotica (loan)
Spartak Moscow
Manchester United		 66 (12)
27 0(6)
39 0(4)
68 0(4)   
National team2
2002– Serbia 31 0(2)

1 Senior club appearances and goals
counted for the domestic league only and
correct as of 19:30, 11 May 2008 (UTC).
2 National team caps and goals correct
as of 23:25, 1 June 2008 (UTC).
* Appearances (Goals)

Nemanja Vidić (Serbian Cyrillic: Немања Видић) (born October 21, 1981 in Titovo Užice, Serbia, SFR Yugoslavia) is a Serbian professional footballer. He plays for the English club Manchester United in the Premier League and for the Serbian national football team.

Contents

[edit] Club career

[edit] Early years

Nemanja Vidić was born to Dragoljub, a retired copper factory worker, and Zora, a bank clerk. Vidić took up football at 7 years of age, alongside his older brother Dušan, with local side Jedinstvo Užice. He progressed quickly, and moved to Sloboda Užice at the age of 12.[1][2]

[edit] Red Star

Two and a half years later, before his 15th birthday, Red Star Belgrade 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. He won the 2001/02 Yugoslav Cup with Red Star.[3][4] 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.[1][5] 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 Premiere League.[6]

[edit] Manchester United

After playing one season at Spartak Moscow, Vidić signed for Manchester United for a reported fee of around £7 million on January 5, 2006;[7][8] two and a half years after Manchester United's reported interest in him.[9] He was assigned the number 15 shirt and made his debut for Manchester United as a substitute for Ruud van Nistelrooy in the dying minutes of Manchester United's 2-1 win in the Carling Cup semi-final second leg against Blackburn Rovers on January 25, 2006.[10][11]

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 English football, and has become an established first team player.[5][12][13] 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.[14][15]

Vidić scored his first ever goal for Manchester United on October 14, 2006 against Wigan Athletic - United went on to win 3-1.[16] He scored his second goal in a 3-0 win over Portsmouth FC on November 4, his first goal at Manchester United's Old Trafford stadium.[17] He scored his first Champions League goal for Manchester United against S.L. Benfica on December 6 in the group stages; a match which Manchester United won 3-1.[18]

Praised for his aggressive no-nonsense defensive style, he is now recognised as one of the best defenders in the Premier League and in Europe.[12][19] Nicknamed Vida[20][21] by his Manchester United teammates, he is highly regarded for his physical presence, heading ability in both defence and at attacking set pieces, and bravery.[20][22][23][24][25][26] Because of this, he enjoys a cult status among United faithful[22][27][28][29] and is often compared to former Manchester United defender Steve Bruce for having similar characteristics.[20][30]

Vidic 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 Superliga that is organized annually (the first award was given in 1970) by daily newspaper Večernje novosti. He was once again the recipient of the award for 2007, playing for Manchester United.[31][32] He was named in the 2006-07 and 2007-08 PFA Premiership Team of the Season [33][34] He was shortlisted on 31 August 2007 for UEFA European Club Defender of the Year[35] and was again shortlisted on 25 September 2007 for FIFPro World XI player award.[36]

On 8 November 2007, Vidic signed a two-year contract extension, keeping him at Manchester United until 2012.[37]

In his second full season at Manchester United he earned his second Premier league medal in succession (making 32 appearances in the process) and won his first UEFA Champions League medal.[38][39][40]

[edit] International career

A Yugoslavian youth international, he made his senior debut on October 12, 2002 against Italy in UEFA Euro 2004 qualification.[1][41] Vidić was part of the Serbian and Montenegrin national team's "Famous Four" defence,[8] alongside Mladen Krstajić, Ivica Dragutinović and Goran Gavrančić, that conceded just one goal during the ten 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification matches, setting new record for least amount of goals conceded. Vidić played a major part in the last qualification game, against Bosnia-Herzegovina. Serbia and Montenegro won 1-0 and secured qualification, despite Vidić picking up a red card five minutes before the end.[1] Vidić missed out on Serbia and Montenegro's opening group stage match against Holland through suspension from his red card in last qualifying game,[42] and on June 12, 2006 he injured his left knee ligaments during training and he did not play any games at the 2006 World Cup.[43] After the 2006 World Cup, Vidić went on to represent the national team, now independent as the Serbia national football team.

[edit] Personal

On July 17, 2006, Vidić married his girlfriend Ana Ivanović, an Economics student at the University of Belgrade. Ana should not be confused with the Serbian tennis star of the same name. Together, they have a son named Luka.[44][45]

[edit] Honours

[edit] Team

Red Star Belgrade

Manchester United

[edit] Individual

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d Nemanja Vidič profile by uefa.com
  2. ^ Rođen za Mančester by glas-javnosti.co.yu (Serbian)
  3. ^ Nemanja Vidic Profile by footballdatabase.com
  4. ^ Yugoslavia Cup 2001/02 by Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation
  5. ^ a b First Team: Nemanja Vidic Profile by ManUtd.com
  6. ^ Spartak swoop for Vidic by UEFA.com on July 5th, 2004.
  7. ^ Mystery surrounds Vidic fee, by timesonline.co.uk
  8. ^ a b Vidic completes £7m Man Utd move - BBC
  9. ^ Vidic boosts Man Utd hope by BBC
  10. ^ Vidic makes reserves appearance by BBC
  11. ^ Man Utd 2-1 Blackburn (3-2 agg) by BBC
  12. ^ a b How Man Utd ousted Chelsea by BBC
  13. ^ Alan Hansen's column by Alan Hansen, BBC
  14. ^ 2006-2007 Man Utd season's appearances and scorers summary by stretfordend.co.uk
  15. ^ Man Utd secure Premiership title by BBC
  16. ^ Wigan 1-3 Man Utd by BBC
  17. ^ Man Utd 3-0 Portsmouth by BBC
  18. ^ Man Utd 3-1 Benfica by BBC
  19. ^ Fergie hails stalwart Vidic by Sky Sports
  20. ^ a b c Vida delight at killer blow by Manutd.com
  21. ^ Vida wants Pompey fillip by Manutd.com
  22. ^ a b Report: Everton 0 United 1 by Manutd.com
  23. ^ Half-time report - Top of the class by ESPN
  24. ^ Eurosport.com's 2006 top 10 prospects by Eurosport
  25. ^ Champions League - Champions League team of the year by Eurosport
  26. ^ Review: Nemanja Vidic by manutd.com
  27. ^ Vidic on cult status by Manutd.com
  28. ^ Vidic Loving Life At United by Eurosport
  29. ^ Warrior Vidic set goals target by Manutd.com
  30. ^ Iron men by timesonline.co.uk, hosted on absolutelyunited.com
  31. ^ Žigić the captain's choice by uefa.com
  32. ^ Izabrani najbolji, V. Tomković, Večernje novosti (Serbian)
  33. ^ Ronaldo secures PFA awards double by BBC
  34. ^ Ronaldo named player of the year by BBC
  35. ^ Re-live: Champions League Group Stage Draw by goal.com
  36. ^ 55 players shortlisted for FIFPro World XI Player Awards by fifpro.org
  37. ^ Vidic signs new Man Utd contract by BBC on November 8, 2007.
  38. ^ 2007-2008 Man Utd season's appearances and scorers summary by stretfordend.co.uk
  39. ^ Wigan 0-2 Man Utd by BBC
  40. ^ Man Utd win in dramatic shoot-out by BBC
  41. ^ Wright-Phillips saves England by BBC
  42. ^ Banned Vidic vows to help Serbia by BBC
  43. ^ Injured Vidic out of tournament, by BBC
  44. ^ Profile: Nemanja Vidic by guardian.co.uk
  45. ^ Biography by Nemanja Vidic official website

[edit] External links


v • d • e
Serbia and Montenegro squad - 2006 FIFA World Cup
1 Jevrić • 2 Ergić • 3 Dragutinović • 4 Duljaj • 5 Vidić • 6 Gavrančić • 7 Koroman • 8 Kežman • 9 Milošević • 10 Stanković • 11 P. Đorđević • 12 Kovačević • 13 Basta • 14 N. Đorđević • 15 Dudić • 16 D. Petković • 17 Nađ • 18 Vukić • 19 Žigić • 20 Krstajić • 21 Ljuboja • 22 Ilić • 23 Stojković • Coach: I. Petković
 Flag of Serbia and Montenegro
v • d • e
Manchester United F.C. – current squad

1 van der Sar • 2 Neville • 3 Evra • 4 Hargreaves • 5 Ferdinand • 6 Brown • 7 Ronaldo • 8 Anderson • 9 Saha • 10 Rooney • 11 Giggs • 12 Foster • 13 Park • 15 Vidić • 16 Carrick • 17 Nani • 18 Scholes • 21 Dong • 22 O'Shea • 23 J. Evans • 24 Fletcher • 27 Silvestre • 29 Kuszczak • 32 Tévez • 33 Eagles • 38 Heaton • 47 Welbeck • Manager: Ferguson


Persondata
NAME Vidić, Nemanja
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Vidić, Nemanja
SHORT DESCRIPTION footballer
DATE OF BIRTH 1981-10-21
PLACE OF BIRTH Titovo Užice, SFR Yugoslavia
DATE OF DEATH
PLACE OF DEATH