Former Manchester United star Nemanja Vidic is widely regarded as one of the greatest defenders in Premier League history, having built a reputation for his leadership, strength and no-nonsense defending during his eight-year spell at Old Trafford.
A two-time Premier League Player of the Season, Vidic was instrumental in United’s dominance under Sir Alex Ferguson in the late 2000s and early 2010s, helping the Red Devils win five league titles, the Champions League in 2008 and a host of other domestic and continental honours.
While he once named Peter Crouch and Luis Suarez among the four most difficult opponents he ever faced in the Premier League, Vidic was recently asked to pick out the toughest competitor from Thierry Henry, Didier Drogba and Wayne Rooney.
Nemanja Vidic Praises Wayne Rooney
Wayne Rooney
Vidic was recently asked by his former Man United teammate Rio Ferdinand to pick out the toughest competitor out of Henry, Drogba and Rooney, and he went with the latter, claiming the England international’s strength and speed were difficult to deal with in training:
“Wayne Rooney. Obviously, Didier Drogba, so many big challenges against him, obviously the time we competed, but training every day with Wayne, [he was] powerful, fast.”
Rooney was at Old Trafford throughout Vidic’s eight-year stay, having joined from Everton in 2004 for £30.7m, then a world record fee for a teenager.
The pair won a host of club and individual honours during their time in Manchester, with Rooney claiming the Premier League Player of the Season award in 2009/10 and Vidic in 2008/09 and 2010/11.
The two United icons only faced each other once away from Old Trafford, in England’s 2-1 friendly win over Serbia and Montenegro in 2003, with Vidic playing the full match and Rooney coming off the bench in the second half for Michael Owen.
Rooney is widely regarded as one of the Premier League’s greatest forwards, having been central to United’s golden period under Ferguson during his 13-year spell at the club.
He made an immediate impact upon arrival from Everton as a teenager in 2004, scoring a hat-trick on his Champions League debut against Fenerbahce, which set the tone for his incredible career at Old Trafford.
The former England international won five Premier League titles, the Champions League in 2008, the FA Cup in 2016 and several other domestic and international honours, including the FIFA Club World Cup in 2008.
He also became United’s record scorer with 253 goals in 559 games, surpassing Sir Bobby Charlton’s tally of 245 in 746 appearances.
For England, Rooney won 120 caps and scored 53 goals and was the nation’s all-time top scorer until Harry Kane surpassed him in 2023.
Rooney retired from professional football in 2017, after spells with Everton, DC United and Derby, and moved into management, with his most recent role being at Plymouth in 2024.