Former Manchester United captain and defensive rock Nemanja Vidic announced his retirement on Friday, saying injuries had taken their toll and it was time to call it a day. The 34-year-old Serbian central defender moved to Inter Milan in 2014 but his contract with the Serie A club was terminated by mutual consent this month. "The time has come for me to hang up my boots," he said in a statement on the United website. The injuries I have had in the last few years have taken their toll.
"I would like to thank all the players I have played with, all the managers and staff I have worked with, and say a big 'thank you' to the fans for their support over the years." With Rio Ferdinand, fan favourite Vidic was at the heart of the United defence between 2006 and 2014 and he won five English Premier League titles as well as the Champions League in 2008. A strong, uncompromising defender who was dominant in the air, Vidic was the perfect foil for the elegant Ferdinand.
Here's what Ferdinand wrote on Facebook for his defensive partner:
Vida - my man
"Where is he from"...."he is well out of his depth"... these were the type of comments flying around the training ground after the 1st few training sessions we saw Vida!
So to see what an unbelievable force he became while at Man Utd means the work he comitted himself to physically and mentally is truly huge.
You have to remember he was playing against great strikers (Cristiano Ronaldo, Robin van Persie, Saha, Wayne Rooney) in training everyday, a big step up from the players in the Russian league. But in a dressing room its a cold world where judgements are passed quickly without remorse - and Vida was judged! Vida is a deep thinker, he was then he is now...so the questioning himself from all angles would have been frying his head the first few months at the club while struggling in training.
He worked on his strength in the gym, worked out what was needed for him to succeed in the Premier League and then started to establish himself in our team.
Im always asked about our partnership, did you do specific training etc....Not really no, it was something that just worked very naturally. He was very aggressive, loved attacking the 1st ball in or out of the box, getting right into the opposing strikers & i liked the sweeping up and covering type stuff...but our partnership brought out the best in our games and made us strive harder to be the best.
My favourite partner to play alongside - YES.
He became a defender that was feared, he could fight with the most physical, he crunched into tackles, he attacked the ball better than anyone ive ever seen....but as he will tell you with a smile, he could also play with the ball too, which made him complete & a great defender. Because he was soo good in the aggressive/attackimg the ball areas people probably looked over his ability with the ball to his annoyance!
As a freind he is made of the top stuff, always honest & thoughtful but also game for a laugh (when he is ready)!
Manchester United miss him now & so will football.
What a player.....what a guy....
Welcome to retirement bro!
Rio
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Vidic")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}