sportbible homepage
sportbible homepage
  • Football
  • Boxing
  • UFC
  • Home
  • Football
    • Premier League
    • Champions League
    • World Cup
    • England
    • Transfer News
    • Manchester United
    • Liverpool
    • Arsenal
    • Real Madrid
    • Barcelona
  • Formula 1
    • Red Bull
    • Ferrari
    • McLaren
    • Mercedes
    • Max Verstappen
    • Lewis Hamilton
    • Lando Norris
    • George Russell
    • Charles Leclerc
  • Boxing
  • UFC
  • More Sport
    • Tennis
    • Golf
    • NBA
    • NFL
    • Darts
    • Athletics
    • Rugby
    • Wrestling
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Archive
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Snapchat
TikTok
Threads
YouTube
Submit Your Content Here
  • LADbible
  • Tyla
  • GAMINGbible
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • FOODbible
  • UNILAD Tech
Nemanja Vidic's Bone-Crunching Challenge On Kyle Walker Will Always Be Best In Premier League History

Home> Football

Published 17:30 5 Jun 2022 GMT+1

Nemanja Vidic's Bone-Crunching Challenge On Kyle Walker Will Always Be Best In Premier League History

They don't make defenders like this anymore, do they?

Daniel Marland

Daniel Marland

google discoverFollow us on Google Discover

Nemanja Vidic's crunching challenge on Kyle Walker remains one of the most iconic moments in Premier League history.

Manchester United took on Tottenham Hotspur in 2013 and found themselves 2-1 down early in the second half.

Realising the tempo needed to be upped, club captain Vidic decided to smash into Walker out on the wing.

Advert

A loose ball bounces to the edge of the box and both players go for it as fast as possible.

Walker is still one of the league's fastest players and reached the ball quicker - but he didn't bargain on Vidic's massive lunge.

The Serbian went to ground and clattered into Walker, who flipped high into the air before crashing down to the White Hart Lane turf.

It was a fair tackle however and it means Vidic could dust himself off and continue the game with no punishment.

Walker did remain grounded for a few seconds. Anyone would, it is some hit.

Fans have reacted to the challenge and they think it's the kind of defending modern football is lacking.

One commented: "This has to be up there as the best tackle in football history."

Another said: "I could watch this tackle on repeat all day."

A third put: "Something so satisfying about this tackle, how they collide."

While someone tweeted: "Proper mentality from a United legend. Love Vida."

Image
Alamy

The tackle has become so synonymous with Vidic's no-nonsense image, he was even asked about it after retiring.

He told FourFourTwo in 2016: "I don't remember all of my tackles - I was sometimes playing with concussion - but I remember that one.

"Kyle went honestly for the ball and so did I. It's why I like that challenge: it doesn't matter who won; what mattered is that we both went for the ball. 

"I love that about English football and hope it never changes."

Vidic won five Premier League titles at United, in addition to three League Cups and the Champions League.

He moved on to Inter Milan in 2014 and the Red Devils haven't had a defender as good as him since.

Featured Image Credit: Premier League

Topics: Manchester United, Nemanja Vidic, Tottenham Hotspur, Kyle Walker, Premier League

Daniel Marland
Daniel Marland

Daniel is SPORTbible's Senior Social Editor.

X

@DanMarland_

Recommended reads

Dennis Taylor interview: Why snooker legend is playing in brand-new event... and how he saved someone's lifeGettyRanking the top 10 best golfers of all time as Nicklaus v Woods GOAT debate settledGetty ImagesDavid Munyua and Peter Wachiuri interview: 'We wish for major PDC players to come and visit Kenya'Getty / Instagram/@wachiuridartsMark Selby lifts lid on backstage talks over Crucible as landmark agreement reachedGetty

Advert

Choose your content:

3 hours ago
5 hours ago
6 hours ago
  • Getty Images
    3 hours ago

    Man Utd fans rage as same ref allows hair pull to go unpunished five days after Martinez red

    Just days after Bruno Fernandes said the "rules are different for everyone".

    Football
  • Screenshot from Sidemen YouTube
    5 hours ago

    How Max Fosh made yellow card vanish in flames at Sidemen charity match

    An explanation to how Max Fosh made the yellow card disappear at the Sidemen charity match

    Football
  • YouTube
    6 hours ago

    Sidemen Charity Match 2026 player ratings: ChrisMD, Miniminter and KSI star as two 2/10 ratings dished out

    The YouTube stars took over Wembley Stadium.

    Football
  • Getty Images - X/@craiglcfc
    6 hours ago

    Harry Winks involved in heated confrontation with Leicester fan as relegation looms

    The incident took place after Leicester's defeat against Portsmouth on Saturday.

    Football
  • Kyle Walker angers Man City fans with Tottenham confession as supporter asks 'how on earth was he captain?'
  • Kyle Walker opens up on Man City exit as he calls out former teammates in honest interview
  • The Premier League title could be decided on goal difference if plausible scenario plays out
  • AC Milan fans make their feelings clear on Kyle Walker as Italian media react to 'failure' of a season