Highlights

• Nemanja Vidic had an intimidating reputation as a defender in the Premier League and was highly respected by players and fans alike.
• Vidic was known for his never-say-die attitude and willingness to put his body on the line for his team, making him a fan favorite and manager's dream player.
• Vidic's iconic moments, such as the incident with Mario Balotelli and Micah Richards, showcased his toughness and solidified his status as one of the hardest players in the Premier League era.

Nemanja Vidic struck fear into the hearts of Premier League players like no other defender ever has. While the likes of Jaap Stam, John Terry and Vincent Kompany might also have cut intimidating figures at centre-half, you'd be hard-pressed to argue that anybody has carried quite the same reputation as Vidic.

The Serbian was built to play in the Premier League with a never-say-die attitude that left the Old Trafford faithful believing that he'd sooner two-foot a brick wall than give up on a clean sheet. A firm fan favourite, as well as a manager's dream player, Vidic will forever be remembered with a great deal of fondness by everyone associated with Manchester United - and deeply respected by everyone else.

A true great

In words of his iconic partner in crime, Rio Ferdinand, upon his retirement in 2016: "He became a defender that was feared. He could fight with the most physical, he crunched into tackles, and he attacked the ball better than anyone I've ever seen. But as he will tell you with a smile, he could also play with the ball too, which made him complete and a great defender. Because he was so good in the aggressive/attacking the ball areas people probably looked over his ability with the ball to his annoyance!"

And the accounts of other United players who shared a dressing room with Vidic are much the same, citing how he was happy to risk life and limb in order to bring silverware to the 'Theatre of Dreams'. Whether it was putting his head where most players wouldn't put their foot or playing on with blood still trickling down his face, Vidic really was the definition of a footballing warrior.

Iconic moments

As such, the Red Devils icon has left behind a trail of cult moments which are remembered by certain sections of the United support for being truly illustrative of what he brought to the team. In other words, memories of times when Vidic looked hard as nails. Here at GIVEMESPORT, being the admirers of Vidic that we are, we previously reminisced on the moment that Mario Balotelli tried squaring up to the legendary centre-half only to find out that it was a terrible idea.

When Richards kung-fu kicked Vidic

And a certain Micah Richards can vouch for the fact that going directly up against Vidic only ever ended one way, as shown by an equally enduring moment from a Manchester derby back in 2008. However, it wasn't for a lack of trying as Richards - who is undoubtedly a physical presence himself with a muscly frame - essentially kung-fu kicked Vidic during the early exchanges at the Etihad Stadium.

Bringing his foot up to reach a lofted ball down the right flank, Richards unintentionally took a chunk out of Vidic who also tried to win possession and looked certain to come out worse off from the collision. But in scenes you truly couldn't write, it was actually Richards who came off worse as Vidic found himself laughing mere moments having gotten back to his feet. Be sure to check out the carnage down below:

Tough as nails

It's official then: Vidic really is a man of steel. Even when you watch the replays, it's hard to work out how on earth it was Richards who ended up bundled on the grass for so long because you get to see his knee essentially landing right in Vidic's face. Nevertheless, give or take a few seconds to collect himself and a cheeky complaint to Howard Webb, Vidic was back up on his feet and living his best life again just seconds later. And when you watch back moments like that, it's hard not to hold your hands up and admit that Vidic was an entirely different animal when it comes to centre-backs of the Premier League era.

You know you're facing an immovable object when you kung-fu kick it and still somehow come off second best. They certainly don't make defenders like Vidic anymore. He'd be worth his weight in gold in today's market.

One of the Premier League's hardest players

On our list of the 21 hardest footballers of the Premier League era, it goes without saying that Vidic made the cut. However, it may come as a surprise to some that the legendary centre-back missed out on a place in the top 10. In fact, he only just made the top 15 as competition was so fierce.

Unlike a few others who ranked higher up the list, Vidic always felt in control of his emotions and actions. In others words, he didn't play as if he had a screw loose. That said, he did receive his fair share of red cards over the course of his Premier League career. To be more specific, he was sent off six times during his 211 Premier League appearances and also picked up a further 39 yellow cards. Vidic is one of 20 Premier League footballers to have been sent off at least six times.

What happened to Vidic

Vidic retired in 2016 following a difficult spell with Inter Milan and enrolled in UEFA’s Executive Master for International Players course five years later. The aim of the course, according to UEFA, is to “equip top international players with the tools required to transfer their playing strengths into effective management skills off the pitch.” It means that while we're unlikely to see Vidic in a dugout, or in a television studio analysing games, he may pop up at a top club working in more of an administrative role.

READ MORE: Sir Alex Ferguson responds to Jamie Carragher’s comments about Vidic