Nemanja Vidic was born in the town of Uzice in Serbia, 150 miles west of Belgrade. He started his career with local side Sloboda Uzice as a youth player before moving to the capital with Crvena Zvezda (Red Star Belgrade) in 2001 where he became team captain aged just 21.
After 3 successful years and 12 goals in 67 matches, he won the Serbian championship (the Meridijan Superliga) and Cup in 2004. In July 2004, Vidic joined Spartak Moscow where he played in the Champion's League but his career in Russia lasted less than two years before moving to Old Trafford.
It is thought his performances with the Serbian national team during qualifying for the 2006 World Cup influenced Sir Alex Ferguson's decision to bring him to Old Trafford. Vidic was the star of the "Famous Four" defence, which conceded just one goal during 10 qualifying games with nine clean sheets, topping the group ahead of Spain and reaching their first World Cup appearance.
The other members of the famous four are Goran Gavrancic of Dynamo Kiev, Sevilla's Ivica Dragutinovic, and Mladen Krstajic of Schalke 04. Vidic played a major part in their 1-0 win over Bosnia-Herzegovina to qualify, despite picking up a red card five minutes from the end.
Vidic signed for Manchester United for a fee of £7.2 million on 5th January 2006. Fiorentina believed they had secured an agreement with Spartak to sign him on November 20th 2005, however the deal fell through. Vidic had a get-out clause in his contract allowing him to decide which club to join if a bid of £4.8 million was made. Spartak later rejected a £4.8 million offer from Liverpool because United were now the players favoured destination and were offering more money.
Sir Alex Ferguson said on signing the player: "Good defenders win you things.
"This lad is really natural and athletic. You need good defenders and that is exactly what this lad is. Belgrade journalist Zoran Panjkovic, who has followed Vidic's career told BBC Sport: "He is similar to Rio Ferdinand but maybe with a bit of John Terry's qualities as well. He is a very aggressive player and very physical. I think he will be a really special player in English football. And I think he will form a formidable partnership with Ferdinand.
"At every corner he is a danger. His style is always to take up the goalkeeper's ground and he has scored some crucial goals. He has developed rapidly in Moscow. I have been watching him for the national team and he has improved a lot. He has become a player that almost makes no mistakes. Maybe his one weakness is dealing with the ball along the ground. In the air he's brilliant but when the ball is on the floor he can struggle at times. "He's not so quick but he is a very strong player and a leader."
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At 6'2" and with an aggressive, physical playing style, Vidic is a no-nonsense centre half with excellent aerial ability. On his arrival in Manchester, the player was keen to avoid such comparisons: "When I was a child there were some fabulous players but really I don't try to imitate or copy anyone and I don't have any role models," he said. "I am trying to be myself, make my own style and produce my own image."
Vidic made his debut for United coming on as sub at home to Blackburn in the League Cup semi-final on 25th January 2006. He went on to make eleven starts featuring in a total of 15 games last season and picked up a League Cup winners medal. At times he struggled with the Premiership pace making clumsy mistakes but fans saw enough good things about the Serbian to suggest he could be a top player for the future.
Last season he proved just that, forming a solid central partership with Rio Ferdinand. It soon became obvious that Vidic was a class act with his strength and no frills approach perfect to go alongside the more refined skills of Ferdinand. The duo helped form the second best defensive record in the Premiership with only 27 goals conceded (3 more than Chelsea).
The big Serbian also contributed to the goals tally with his first coming at Wigan Athletic in a 3-1, another in a 3-0 win over Portsmouth in November, the equalizer against Benifca in the 3-1 win in December and one in the 4-0 win at Spurs. All four goals came from headers and his aerial power was well suited to the Premiership.
The only negative was a broken collar bone on 31st March in a game with Blackburn that sidelined him for almost a month. Vidic was not fully fit but a defensive crisis forced his early return for United's defeat in the San Siro to AC Milan. That aside, his first full season has been a success and United can look forward to a defensive partnership that may echo the days of Bruce and Pallister.
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