Aurelio Vidmar returns to Adelaide United as the Club’s Director of Football, and as a result we examine the extraordinary playing career of one of the greatest footballers South Australia has produced.
Vidmar’s contract runs until the end of the Hyundai A-League 2020/21 season and reacquaints himself with the Reds having previously captained and coached the team.
Born in 1967, Vidmar made his debut in the National Soccer League in 1985 with Adelaide City and clinched the NSL title a year later. After over 150 appearances for the Black and Whites he secured a move abroad to Belgium with top-flight club Kortrijk ahead of the 1991/92 season. The year 1991 was also when Vidmar began receiving call-ups to the Socceroos. He bagged 10 league goals in 30 matches in first campaign overseas before leaving for fellow Belgium side Waregem and spent two seasons with them, scoring 25 goals in 57 games.
And in the summer of 1994, the then 27-year-old completed a transfer to Standard Liège. He excelled from his midfield position, netting a staggering 22 goals on his way to claiming the Belgian League Golden Boot award.
A move to Dutch giants Feyenoord ensued, playing with the like of George Boateng, Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Henrik Larsson and Ronald Koeman. However, his stay in the Eredivisie was brief and joined Swiss team Sion six months later. Spanish club Tenerife, situated on the Canary Islands, would be Vidmar’s home for the 1996/97 season.
And in 1998 he embarked on a new challenge, moving to Japan with Sanfrecce Hiroshima. Following a two-year spell, Vidmar returned to Adelaide City in the NSL before serving as captain of Adelaide United’s inaugural 2003/04 season.
Adelaide United face APIA Leichhardt in the Quarter Finals of the FFA Cup 2018 on Wednesday, 26 September at Leichhardt Oval. Kick-off is at 7.00 PM ACST.
