Nemanja Vidić vs Per Mertesacker: Stats Compared
Centre-Back, Serbia (born 1981, retired 2016) · Centre-Back, Germany (born 1984, retired 2018)
Comparing Nemanja Vidić with Per Mertesacker means weighing two very different kinds of greatness. It is in how they played, rather than what they won, that the comparison gets interesting. The raw numbers read 29 goals in 518 outings for Nemanja Vidić (0.06/game), versus 15 in 550 for Per Mertesacker (0.03/game). Assists were not reliably tracked for much of their careers, which makes the playmaking comparison an imperfect one; where records exist, Nemanja Vidić is credited with 0 and Per Mertesacker with 5. Trophy counts give Nemanja Vidić 8 and Per Mertesacker 4, with 5× Premier League (2007–2013) and 1× FIFA World Cup (2014) the standout honours respectively. Nemanja Vidić played with a commanding that made him unmistakable; Per Mertesacker brought a anticipatory that was equally his own. Club journeys add another layer, with Nemanja Vidić reaching his representative peak around 2009 across Red Star Belgrade, Spartak Moscow, Manchester United, Inter and Per Mertesacker doing so around 2014 with Hannover 96, Werder Bremen, Arsenal. The honest conclusion is that comparison enriches appreciation rather than crowns a single winner.
178 words · comparison angle: style
Player profiles
Nemanja Vidić is a Serbian former professional footballer who played as a centre-back. Widely considered as one of the greatest defenders of all time, Vidić is best known for his time at Manchester United, where he won 15 trophies and served as club captain. He is one of only five players to win the Premier League Player of the Season award twice, alongside Thierry Henry, Kevin De Bruyne, Cristiano Ronaldo and Mohamed Salah.
“A fearless centre-back who dominated the air and treated every duel as a personal contest.”
A towering, calm German centre-back nicknamed 'BFG' by Arsenal fans, Mertesacker started every match of Germany's triumphant 2014 World Cup campaign.
“A commanding, positionally intelligent centre-back whose reading of the game compensated for a lack of raw pace.”
Head-to-head stats
Career goals by season
Representative career seasons — goals per season for each player across their documented clubs.
Attribute radar
Attribute ratings are peak-era, 0–100. Different positions naturally skew the profile.
Attribute comparison
Trophy breakdown
- 5× Premier League (2007–2013)
- 1× FIFA World Cup (2014)
- 3× FA Cup (2014, 2015, 2017)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 2001 Established himself at Red Star Belgrade
- 2005 Reached his defining peak
- 2009 Delivered a landmark season
- 2016 Retired from professional football
- 2001 Professional debut for Hannover 96
- 2014 Won FIFA World Cup with Arsenal
- 2014 Won FA Cup with Arsenal
- 2014 Reached the peak of his powers at Arsenal
- 2018 Retired after a final spell at Arsenal
- Finished his career with 15 goals in 550 appearances and 4 major honours. Finished his career with 15 goals in 550 appearances and 4 major honours.
The verdict
On balance Nemanja Vidić edges the comparison. The margin is a decisive margin, decided mostly by a weightier trophy cabinet.
Nemanja Vidić edges it (a decisive margin)
