"I Didn't Train" – Nemanja Vidic Reveals the Painful Truth About His Manchester United Career

Nemanja Vidic, one of Manchester United’s greatest defenders, has revealed that he sometimes had to skip training and only played matches due to a long-term back injury. The Serbian defender, who was known for his toughness and leadership, admitted that the demanding nature of the Premier League made it difficult for him to continue playing at his best.

Vidic was signed by Sir Alex Ferguson in December 2005 for around £7 million. Over the years, he became one of the best defenders in the Premier League, winning 15 trophies, including five league titles. However, injuries eventually took their toll, and after struggling with fitness and form, he left United under Louis van Gaal before retiring just 18 months later.

Vidic has now revealed that he suffered from a herniated disc in his back since his early playing days at Red Star Belgrade. This injury continued to affect him throughout his career. In an interview with France Football, Vidic shared that he often avoided training sessions just to be fit enough for matches.

“When you’re a footballer, you shouldn’t talk about your injuries… I had a herniated disc when I was at Red Star and I’ve had it my whole career. In Manchester, there were even periods when I didn’t train, I just played the matches,” he admitted.

Vidic’s admission reveals how much suffering he endured to help his squad, proving how committed to United’s success.

Vidic also talked about the challenges of playing in England, saying he knew it was time to leave as soon as he felt he could no longer deliver his best effort.

“I had the impression that I wasn’t the same player, that I couldn’t do the same things as before. I couldn’t see myself staying in England because the Premier League is very demanding and I didn’t want to play for any club other than United,” he said.

After leaving United, he joined Inter Milan but struggled with injuries and eventually retired, admitting that his body could no longer handle the demands of top-level football.

During his time at United, Vidic trained and played against some of the world’s best attackers. He recalled how challenging it was to face legendary forwards both in training and during matches.

“When I arrived, I was more scared of training sessions than matches. At Carrington, I was up against the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, Carlos Tevez, Louis Saha, and Ruud Van Nistelrooy. It was hard to survive!”

Vidic also spoke about the toughest opponents he faced, mentioning some of the best strikers of his generation.

“Even against a small team, I prepared as if I was going to face the best in the world. But I played against some fantastic players: Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Thierry Henry, Didier Drogba… I’m also thinking of Alessandro Del Piero and Filippo Inzaghi, who I played against in my first game for Serbia.”

Since retiring, Vidic has stayed away from coaching, but he hasn’t ruled out a return to football management in the future. He explained that for now, his priority is spending time with his children, who are all footballers.

“I’m still very interested, and I’d like to give it a go. But I’m not going to take on a club in the next few years because I have three young children, all of whom are footballers by the way. I’m not ready to leave them yet,” Vidic said.

Even though his career was cut short by injury, Vidic’s impact at Manchester United will never be forgotten, and the team’s fans still hold him in high regard as a legend for his exceptional play, fearless defense, and leadership on the field.