José Luís Vidigal

This name uses Portuguese naming customs. The first or maternal family name is Cruz and the second or paternal family name is Vidigal.

Luís Vidigal

Personal information
Full name	José Luís da Cruz Vidigal
Date of birth	(1973-03-15) 15 March 1973
Place of birth	Sá da Bandeira, Angola
Height
Position(s)	Midfielder
Youth career
1984–1992	O Elvas
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1992–1994	O Elvas	60	(3)
1994–1995	Estoril	27	(0)
1995–2000	Sporting CP	110	(5)
2000–2004	Napoli	86	(8)
2004–2005	Livorno	30	(3)
2005–2006	Udinese	23	(1)
2006–2008	Livorno	18	(0)
2008–2009	Estrela Amadora	15	(3)
Total		369	(23)
International career
1994–1995	Portugal U21	7	(1)
2000–2002	Portugal	15	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

José Luís da Cruz Vidigal (born 15 March 1973) is a retired Portuguese footballer who played as a defensive midfielder.

During his extensive professional career, the no-nonsense midfield battler played more years abroad (Italy, eight) than in his country of adoption (seven), where he represented mainly Sporting.

A Portuguese international for two years, Vidigal appeared with the national team at Euro 2000, helping it to the third place.

Club career

Early years / Sporting

Born in Sá da Bandeira, Portuguese Angola, Vidigal moved to Portugal at an early age, and started his footballing career with amateurs O Elvas CAD, moving in 1994 to the second division with G.D. Estoril-Praia.

The following year Vidigal signed with another team from the Lisbon area, Sporting Clube de Portugal in the Primeira Liga. After tentative beginnings he became an essential defensive unit, contributing with a career-best – in Portugal – 32 games as the Lions won they first title in 18 years.

Italy spell

At 27, Vidigal moved to Italy, where he would remain the following eight years: he started out with S.S.C. Napoli, having signed along Sporting teammates Facundo Quiroga and Abdelilah Saber, but only played in four Serie A matches in his first year and the team was also relegated (his best individual year – 33 appearances, five goals – was incidentally spent in the second division, but the Campania outfit faced another relegation, eventually ending 16th).

In 2003–04 Napoli finished higher, but was finally relegated off the pitch. Upon this Vidigal moved to fellow league side A.S. Livorno Calcio, starting throughout most of the season and helping the club to a comfortable ninth position.

In his final three years Vidigal was irregularly used, often from the bench, representing Udinese Calcio (one year) and returning to Livorno where he played until 2008.

Return to Portugal

Vidigal returned to his country aged 35, joining modest C.F. Estrela da Amadora where his older brother Lito was coach. In his first game, on 28 September 2008, he scored twice to help beat C.D. Nacional 2–1; however, he missed most of the season due to injury as the capital-based club was also immerse in a severe financial crisis – eventually being relegated from the top flight to the third level; he retired from the game shortly after.

International career

Vidigal gained 15 caps for Portugal, his first one being on 23 February 2000 in a 1–1 draw with Belgium at Charleroi, in a friendly match. Summoned to UEFA Euro 2000, he had to battle for position with Paulo Bento and Costinha (Paulo Sousa was also called, but was injured), but managed to appear in four games for the national team, including the semi-final loss against France.

Vidigal's last match came on 12 October 2002 in the 1–1 draw with Tunisia played in Lisbon, in another friendly. He also represented the nation at the 1996 Summer Olympics, playing all the games en route to the fourth place.

Personal life

Vidigal is the second of twelve children, four of his brothers also being footballers: Beto, Lito (whom represented Angola internationally), Toni and Jorge.

External links

• Luís Vidigal at footballzz.co.uk
• Luís Vidigal profile at ForaDeJogo
• Stats at Tutto Calciatori (Italian)
• Vidigal.html José Luís Vidigal at National-Football-Teams.com
• Futbol Mercado profile (Spanish)