Ballon d'Or: Nemanja Vidic Profile

The giant Serb has a faint hope...

Nov 23, 2009 3:27:00 AM

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Players

Nemanja Vidic

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NEMANJA VIDIC
Club: Manchester United
Country: Serbia
Age: 28 (DOB October 21 1981)
Position: Defender
Previous Placings: None

Regarded as one of the best defenders in world football, Manchester United’s Nemanja Vidic was absolutely central to the Red Devils’ superb run of clean sheets last season, which threatened to carry them to an unprecedented quintuple.

Sir Alex Ferguson’s side, unlike in previous years, was built from a foundation of defensive solidarity, and Vidic was the absolute keystone in the back four. The 28-year-old ultimately helped his side’s push for the Premier League title, but was ultimately denied the Champions League title by a Barcelona side who may yet become generation-defining.

On the international front Vidic has also thrived, helping his native Serbia to the World Cup finals by topping Group 7. Approaching the peak of his career, 2010 promises much.

Attributes

Involved in all of Manchester United’s record run of 14 clean sheets
A cult figure at Old Trafford because of his uncompromising nature and bravery
Named the Premier League’s Player of the Season
Aided Serbia in their successful push for automatic World Cup qualification

They Say...

“The United defence is as hard as a rock. We have played together for a few years now and are a tight-knit unit. The manager [Sir Alex Ferguson] demands total concentration and a fighting approach. All the players know their duties and are seasoned professionals who know what it’s all about,” – Vidic explains to The Times that it’s a team effort at Old Trafford.

Prediction

Defenders tend not to be well represented in such votes, and Vidic is one of only two such players in the 30 nominees. He can expect to finish ahead of Inter’s Maicon, and he may even muscle his way into the top ten, but he will find it tough to dislodge the world’s most prominent attacking stars to win the coveted prize.