| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | José Luís da Cruz Vidigal | ||
| Date of birth | March 15, 1973 | ||
| Place of birth | Sá da Bandeira, Angola | ||
| Height | 1.84 m (6 ft 1⁄2 in) | ||
| Playing position | Midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1990–1992 | 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) |
| National team | |||
| 1994–1995 | Portugal U21 | 7 | (1) |
| 2000–2002 | Portugal | 15 | (0) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals). |
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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[1] 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.
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Born in Sá da Bandeira, 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, first division powerhouse Sporting Clube de Portugal; after tentative beginnings, he became an essential defensive unit, contributing with a career-best - in Portugal - 32 matches, as the Lions won they first title in 18 years.
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 league matches in his first year, and the club was relegated (his best individual year - 33 matches, five goals - was incidentally spent in the second division, but Napoli faced another relegation, eventually ending 16th).
In 2003–04, Napoli finished higher, but the Campania side was finally relegated off the pitch. Upon this, Vidigal moved to A.S. Livorno Calcio, starting throughout most of the season, and helping the club to a comfortable 9th position.
In his final three years, Vidigal was irregularly used, often from the bench, representing Udinese Calcio (one year) and returning to Livorno until 2008 in Italy.
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 Lisbon-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.
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 matches for the national team, including the semifinal loss against France.
Vidigal's last match came on 12 October 2002, in the 1–1 draw with Tunisia, at Lisbon, in another friendly. He also represented the nation at the 1996 Summer Olympics.
Vidigal is the second of five children, all of his brothers also being footballers: Beto, Lito (whom represented Angola internationally), Toni and Jorge.[2]
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