“The best”: United stalwart earns high praise from two-time PL Player of the Year

Manchester United legend Nemanja Vidic has heaped praise on Matthijs de Ligt. The Dutch defender has come into his own this season after a mixed 2024/25 campaign. De Ligt arrived at Old Trafford from Bayern Munich in the summer of 2024. A former Golden Boy and Kopa Trophy winner, the Ajax academy product was included in the Champions League Team of the Year in 2019. The Dutchman left the Johan Cruyff Arena that summer to move to Juventus, before joining Bayern Munich in 2022. However, with his career failing to pan out as expected, the Red Devils were presented with the chance to secure De Ligt’s signature last year. It was an offer that the Premier League giants took with both hands, and as things stand, their decision has already been vindicated. A rock at the back this season De Ligt was part of the team that struggled last season, finishing 15th in the Premier League table and losing the Europa League final 1-0 to Tottenham Hotspur. However, with a full pre-season behind him, the 26 year old looks back to his best. Until the draw against West Ham United, De Ligt had played every minute of every Premier League game for United this season. He has effectively relegated Harry Maguire to the bench, marshalling the defence from the central centre-back position. Matthijs de Ligt Premier League Stats: 2025/26 Season MetricValue Appearances13 Goals1 Goals1 Expected Goals (xG)1.46 Expected Assists (xA)0.77 Shots on Target (Inside the Box)5 Touches in Opposition Box18 Crosses (Completed %)5 (80%) Passes (Completed %)612 (88%) Long Passes (Completed %)44 (48%) Minutes Played1,170 Dribbles (Completed %)2 (50%) Duels Won74 Aerial Duels Won50 Total Tackles19 Interceptions15 Blocks7 Red Cards0 Yellow Cards0 Fouls6 Source: Premier League website.It is no wonder, then, that the Dutchman was adjudged the club’s Player of the Month for November. He is also the first defender to win the award since Noussair Mazraoui a year ago. De Ligt’s performances have now drawn praise from two-time Premier League Player of the Year Nemanja Vidic. Vidic hails De Ligt Speaking on CBS Sports Golazo, Vidic stressed the importance of a good backline in a team’s success. “I honestly believe that the defenders bring the trophies because if you look at the statistics in the past 10, 15, 20 years, you will see that the team that concede the least goals win the trophies,” said Vidic. “I think that’s important. I think this season, Man United, some games they play well at the back, but in some games, they concede a few goals.” The Serbian defender went on to name De Ligt as the club’s best defender this season. “So, if you look at [it] statistically, you will say that we still concede too many goals, but I agree that some players improved their game and [are] then playing this season much better,” said Vidic. “De Ligt is, I think, the best player at the back for Man United. So, I think consistency is the key. If you want to play for Man United, you have to perform week in, week out. You know, you cannot afford to have one good game and two bad games.” Vidic forged a rock-solid partnership with Rio Ferdinand during their time together at Old Trafford and was part of the backline that helped Edwin van der Sar go a record 1,311 minutes without conceding a goal. As such, the former United skipper’s endorsement underlines how important De Ligt has been for the Red Devils this season. Final Thoughts Amorim has already confirmed that De Ligt will miss Monday’s Premier League fixture with a knock. The Dutchman’s absence could be a huge blow for United, especially with Maguire also sidelined through injury. Meanwhile, with the Englishman out of contract at the end of this season and already in his thirties, De Ligt looks like the new leader at the back for United. If the Dutchman continues his current form, he could play a key role in the Red Devils’ return to their glory days. Featured image Michael Regan via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Deepungsu Pandit Deepungsu has been a Manchester United fan since 2000. In his playing days, he was an attacking midfielder with a proclivity for the back heel. Right now, however, he prefers to operate as a regista. Deepungsu has been writing about the Red Devils, Football, and other things since 2009. He has worked for over seven years with Sportskeeda, writing football reviews, opinions and news articles. Deepungsu also maintains a blog, The Thinking Me, where he writes about life and things that interest him. His favourite Manchester United player is Paul Scholes.