Sir Alex Ferguson breaks silence after Carragher’s claims about Nemanja Vidic

December 15, 2025 Oliver Obel

Some debates in football fade with time. Others, strangely, grow louder. The belief that Fernando Torres repeatedly outclassed Nemanja Vidic sits firmly in the latter category a piece of fan folklore that resurfaces every few months, often divorced from the actual record. And when Rio Ferdinand recently revisited the subject, he pulled Sir Alex Ferguson into the conversation in a way that shed new light on the enduring claim.

How the debate reignited

It was an argument on X in April 2023 that brought the topic back into view. After one user questioned whether Virgil van Dijk belonged among the league’s great centre-backs John Terry, Vincent Kompany, Ferdinand and Vidic Jamie Carragher fired back.

The Sky Sports pundit insisted that van Dijk’s best years placed him above Vidic and pointed toward the long-running narrative involving Torres:
“VVD is far better than Vidic… have you forgot his performances against Torres?”

Carragher went on to argue that even elite defenders suffer dips in form and added that no centre-back in the Premier League era had matched van Dijk’s impact at his peak.

A phone call for clarification

Weeks later, during a reflective chat on Rio Ferdinand Presents, Ferdinand and Vidic looked back on their time together at Manchester United. The Torres narrative inevitably resurfaced, prompting Ferdinand half amused to call Ferguson on speakerphone while filming.

Ferdinand relayed Carragher’s claim that Torres had "tortured" Vidic and mentioned the statistic often missing from online debate: the Spaniard scored only three goals across 15 meetings.

Ferguson’s reply was firm but nuanced. He said the reputation largely came from two high-profile dismissals:

“[Vidic] brought [Torres] down twice when he was through on goal, so it looks like he was tortured from that respect.”

He then added context, saying one of the dismissals the tangle at Old Trafford had been harsh:

“The second sending off was a bit unfair. He sort of grappled with him at Old Trafford and then got sent off.”

Ferguson pushed back against the idea that Torres dominated the defender, saying:

“Like all centre-forwards, [Torres] had his qualities, but I wouldn’t say he was the best centre-forward that ever played against Vidic. Far from it.”

And he suggested the myth survives because red cards are more memorable than full performances:

“There’s a certain inclination and suggestion that because Vidic was sent off against him, [Torres] had tortured him. But you know, one tackle can get you sent off.”

Beyond the myth

Ferguson’s take pointed to a broader truth: moments especially dramatic ones often overshadow the complete picture. Torres did trouble United on occasion, but Ferguson emphasised that Vidic handled many world-class strikers with equal or greater difficulty.

Asked to summarise Vidic’s traits from a manager’s perspective, Ferguson offered three words: “determined, tough, and committed.”

Vidic’s arrival from Spartak Moscow in 2006 for about £7 million remains widely considered one of the Premier League’s smartest pieces of business. His bruising style led to spectacular clashes, which may explain why certain memories linger while the numbers tell a calmer story.

Vidic’s own verdict

When later speaking to FourFourTwo, Vidic listed the strikers he felt genuinely pushed him to his limits. Peter Crouch’s height created persistent aerial problems. Didier Drogba, he said, posed a unique challenge:

“He was strong, but he was always thinking ahead.”

Sergio Agüero’s sharp movement earned him a spot, as did Luis Suárez. Torres, however, did not appear on his list a notable omission given the online mythology.

Statistically, Vidic’s view makes sense. Across their 15 meetings, United won seven times, Torres scored only three goals, and many of the defining moments came from disciplinary incidents rather than consistent dominance.

In football, though, myths can outpace the matches themselves.

Sources: Sky Sports; FourFourTwo; Rio Ferdinand Presents (YouTube).