Leeds United legend Mark Viduka has revealed how close he came to quitting football before moving to the UK and salvaging his career.
Mark Viduka is one of the modern greats at Elland Road, having formed a crucial part of the side that challenged at the top of the Premier League table in the early 2000s.
Despite going on to become a fan favourite at Elland Road, Viduka had a slow start to life at Leeds, eventually scoring his first goal for the club in Leeds’ famous six-goal demolition of Besiktas in the Champions League.
Once he broke his duck, the powerful Australian never looked back, scoring in another thrilling encounter with Tottenham before his four goals against Liverpool on this day 25 years ago.
However, in an interview to mark his landmark appearance for Leeds, Viduka has admitted he could have given up football before he moved to the UK, as he struggled to adapt to life in Croatia.
Mark Viduka celebrates during Leeds United v Chelsea
28 Apr 2001: Mark Viduka of Leeds celebrates scoring the second goal for Leeds during the Leeds United v Chelsea FA Carling Premiership match at Elland Road, Leeds. Mandatory Credit: Tom Shaw/ALLSPORT
Speaking to the Guardian, Viduka has now opened up on his struggles during his time with Dinamo Zagreb, against the backdrop of the political turmoil in the Balkans at the time.
According to Viduka, his link to former Croatian president Franjo Tudjman, who had played a role in convincing Viduka to make the move to the Croatian league, became an issue during his time in Zagreb.
When Tudjman’s popularity in Croatia fell, Viduka suffered so much abuse that he considered quitting football altogether.
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“I’d have my fans and the opposition fans singing insults to me before I even started playing,” Viduka said. “I scored in a derby match in Split, and my own fans were insulting me. I’m thinking to myself: ‘This has got nothing to do with football.'”
Before adding: “I just felt exhausted. Exhausted of every day being attacked by people having a go at me on the street. I didn’t know how to deal with it.
“I’d never envisaged that sort of thing from football. It could have ruined me. I could have stopped playing.”
Mark Viduka of Leeds United
28 Oct 2001: Delight for Leeds'' goalscorer Mark Viduka during the FA Barclaycard Premiership match between Manchester United and Leeds United played at Old Trafford in Manchester, England. The match ended in a 1 – 1 draw. Mandatory Credit: Clive Brunskill /Allsport
Former Leeds United hero enjoyed a brilliant first Premier League season
Thankfully, for both Leeds and Viduka, he did not bring his career to a premature end, joining Celtic in 1998 before eventually moving to Elland Road for £6 million.
Despite not scoring in his first five games for Leeds, Viduka eventually burst into life for the club after breaking his duck, with his four goals against Liverpool providing the undoubted highlight of a brilliant individual season.
Mark Viduka’s first season at Leeds: Data from TransferMarkt
Total Appearances: 53
Premier League Goals: 17
Champions League Goals: 4
FA Cup Goals: 1
Viduka scored a total of 22 goals in his first season at Leeds, with 17 goals in the Premier League, four goals in the Champions League and one in the FA Cup.
By the end of the season, he was one of the most highly-rated forwards in Europe and crucial to Leeds’ high-flying side.