Arturo Vidal facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal family name is Vidal and the second or maternal family name is Pardo.

Quick facts for kids
Arturo Vidal

Vidal with Chile at the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup

Personal information

Date of birth

22 May 1987 (age 38)

Place of birth

San Joaquin, Santiago, Chile

Height

1.80 m

Playing position

Midfielder

Club information

Current club

Colo-Colo

Number

Youth career

Rodelindo Román

Melipilla

Colo-Colo

Senior career*

Years

Team

Apps^†

(Gls)^†

2005–2007

Colo-Colo

(2)

2007–2011

Bayer Leverkusen

117

(15)

2011–2015

Juventus

124

(35)

2015–2018

Bayern Munich

(14)

2018–2020

Barcelona

(11)

2020–2022

Inter Milan

(2)

2022–2023

Flamengo

(2)

2023–2024

Athletico Paranaense

(0)

2024–

Colo-Colo

(4)

National team^‡

2006–2007

Chile U20

(8)

2007–

Chile

144

(34)

Honours

Copa América

Men's football
Representing Chile
Winner	2015 Chile
Winner	2016 United States
FIFA Confederations Cup
Runner-up	2017 Russia
FIFA U-20 World Cup
Third	2007 Canada

Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 19:42, 1 December 2024 (UTC).

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 23:08, 19 November 2024 (UTC)

Arturo Erasmo Vidal Pardo (born 22 May 1987) is a Chilean professional footballer. He plays as a midfielder for the Chilean club Colo-Colo. He also plays for the Chile national team.

Vidal is known for his strong and energetic style of play. Fans and the Italian press gave him nicknames like Il Guerriero ("The Warrior") and Rey Arturo ("King Arthur"). Many people think he is one of the best Chilean players ever.

He started his career with Colo-Colo in Chile, winning three league titles. Then, he moved to Europe. He played for Bayer Leverkusen in Germany for four seasons. In 2011, he joined Juventus in Italy. There, he became one of the best midfielders in the world. He won the Italian league title (Scudetto) in all four of his seasons with Juventus. He also helped them reach the Champions League final in 2015.

After Juventus, Vidal returned to Germany to play for Bayern Munich in 2015. He won three more league titles there. In 2018, he moved to La Liga giants Barcelona in Spain, winning another league title. In 2020, he went back to Italy to play for Inter Milan, where he won another Serie A title and the Coppa Italia. Later, he played for Flamengo and Athletico Paranaense in Brazil before returning to Colo-Colo in 2024.

Vidal has played over 140 games for the Chile national team since 2007. He played in many Copa América tournaments. He helped Chile win the tournament in 2015 and 2016. He also played in the FIFA World Cup in 2010 and 2014.

Early Life

Arturo Vidal was born in San Joaquín, a working-class area in Santiago, Chile. His uncle noticed his football talent early on. He then joined the youth teams of a local club, Colo-Colo.

Club Journey

Starting at Colo-Colo

Vidal made his first professional appearance in 2006 for Colo-Colo. He helped his team win the championship that year. In the next season, he became a key player. Colo-Colo won their second championship in a row. His great performances caught the attention of European clubs.

Playing for Bayer Leverkusen

In 2007, Vidal moved to Germany to play for Bayer Leverkusen. The club had been watching him for a while. His strong play at the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup convinced them to sign him. His transfer was a record for a Chilean player at the time.

He quickly became a regular player for Bayer Leverkusen. He scored his first goal for the club early on. In the 2008–09 season, he helped Bayer reach the German Cup final. They lost the final, but Vidal showed his importance.

The 2010–11 season was his last with Bayer. He helped the team finish second in the league. He also had many assists, showing his playmaking skills.

Time at Juventus

Vidal playing for Juventus in December 2012

In July 2011, Vidal joined Serie A club Juventus in Italy. He made a great start, scoring in his first game. He quickly became a vital part of the team's midfield. Juventus won the Italian league title in his first season without losing a single game. He scored seven goals and made three assists that season.

In his second season, Vidal continued to shine. He scored his first UEFA Champions League goal against Chelsea. He helped Juventus win another league title. Fans voted him Player of the Year on the club's website.

In November 2013, Vidal scored three goals in a Champions League match against Copenhagen. This was his first hat-trick. He extended his contract with Juventus until 2017. He scored 11 goals in the league and 7 in European games that season. Juventus won their third league title in a row.

In his fourth season, Vidal played in different midfield roles. He scored two goals against Cesena in September 2014. He helped Juventus win their fourth straight Serie A title in May 2015. He also helped them win the Italian Cup. Juventus reached the Champions League final in 2015, but lost to Barcelona.

Moving to Bayern Munich

Vidal training with Bayern Munich in 2017

In July 2015, Vidal returned to Germany, joining Bayern Munich. He made his debut a few days later. He scored his first goal for Bayern in a cup match. In September, he scored his first league goal for the club. He was nominated for the UEFA Team of the Year in November. He scored important goals in the Champions League, helping Bayern reach the semi-finals.

In August 2016, Vidal scored the first goal in a 2–0 win against Borussia Dortmund in the German Supercup. He scored his first header for Bayern in October. In March 2017, he scored two goals against Arsenal in the Champions League. Bayern won the league title that season.

In September 2017, he scored his first goal of the season against FC Schalke 04. He scored the only goal in a 1–0 win against Eintracht Frankfurt. This was his fourth goal in four league games. In April 2018, Vidal had a knee injury during training. This was his last official match for Bayern.

Joining Barcelona

Vidal (left) playing for Barcelona in 2019

In August 2018, Barcelona announced they had signed Vidal. He signed a three-year contract. He made his debut for Barcelona in a 2–1 win over Sevilla FC, helping them win the Spanish Super Cup.

In October, Vidal scored his first goal for Barcelona in a big 5–1 win over rivals Real Madrid. In April 2019, he helped set up the winning goal by Lionel Messi. This goal secured the La Liga title for Barcelona. His last match with Barcelona was a tough 8–2 loss to his former club Bayern Munich in the Champions League.

Inter Milan and Brazilian Clubs

In September 2020, Vidal moved to Inter Milan in Italy. He scored his first goal for Inter in the Italian Cup in January 2021. A few days later, he scored his first Serie A goal for Inter against his old club, Juventus. He helped Inter win the Serie A title and the Coppa Italia. In July 2022, he left Inter.

He then joined Flamengo in Brazil. He signed an 18-month contract. He scored his first goal for Flamengo in July. In July 2023, he left Flamengo. He then joined Athletico Paranaense until December 2023. In September 2023, he had a knee injury.

Return to Colo-Colo

On 22 January 2024, Arturo Vidal returned to his first club, Colo-Colo, after seventeen years away.

Playing for Chile

Youth and Early Senior Career

Vidal played for the Chile Under-20 team. He was the second-highest scorer in the 2007 South American Youth Championship. He helped the team finish third at the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup.

He made his debut for the senior Chile national team in 2007. He became a regular player during the 2010 World Cup qualifiers. He played in all four of Chile's matches at the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He also played in the 2011 Copa América. Vidal scored five goals in 11 games as Chile qualified for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He played in three of Chile's four games at that tournament.

Copa América Success

Vidal tackling Brazil's Kaká during the 2010 FIFA World Cup

In June 2015, Vidal scored the first goal of the 2015 Copa América from a penalty kick. In the next game, he scored twice and set up another goal. In the final against Argentina, Vidal scored in the penalty shootout. Chile won the shootout 4–1 to become champions. He was named Man of the Match in the final.

In June 2016, Vidal scored both goals in a 2–1 win over Bolivia in the Copa América Centenario. He helped Chile win 7–0 against Mexico in the quarter-finals. In the final, against Argentina again, Vidal missed Chile's first penalty. But Chile still won the shootout 4–2, defending their title. Vidal was again named to the Team of the Tournament.

In June 2017, Vidal scored Chile's first goal in the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup. Chile reached the final but lost 1–0 to Germany.

World Cup Qualifiers and Milestones

In 2017, Vidal briefly considered retiring from the national team after a tough loss. However, he quickly changed his mind, saying he was a "warrior" who would "never abandon" Chile.

In March 2018, Vidal played his 100th game for Chile. In the 2019 Copa América quarter-finals, Vidal had a goal disallowed by VAR. Chile won the penalty shootout against Colombia. In the third-place match, Vidal scored a penalty against Argentina.

How He Plays

Vidal tackling Brazil's Kaká, in the 2010 FIFA World Cup

Arturo Vidal is a very flexible and hard-working player. He can play in many different midfield positions. He is known for being a "box-to-box midfielder". This means he helps both in defense and attack. He can also play as a defensive midfielder or an attacking midfielder.

He is called Il Guerriero ("The Warrior") and Rey Arturo ("King Arthur") because he is strong and aggressive. Vidal is good at winning the ball back and starting attacks. He has good technique, speed, and stamina. He also has a powerful shot and scores goals. He is a good penalty taker. Because he is strong and can jump high, he is also good at heading the ball. All these skills make him one of the best midfielders in the world.

Sponsorship

In 2013, EA Sports featured Vidal on the cover of the video game FIFA 14 for Central and South America. He appeared alongside global star Lionel Messi.

Personal Life

Arturo Vidal's cousin, Gonzalo Vásquez, was also a footballer. Arturo's younger sister, Victoria, is married to professional footballer Daniel Malhue.

In March 2020, Vidal and fellow Chilean footballer Gary Medel donated money to the Chilean Red Cross. This was to help fight the COVID-19 pandemic in Chile. In December 2024, Vidal graduated as a football manager.

Career Statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club	Season	League			National cup		Continental		Other		Total
Club	Season	Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Colo-Colo	2005	Chilean Primera División	2	0	—		—		—		2	0
	2006	Chilean Primera División	19	0	—		12	3	—		31	3
	2007	Chilean Primera División	15	2	—		8	0	—		23	2
	Total		36	2	—		20	3	—		56	5
Bayer Leverkusen	2007–08	Bundesliga	24	1	0	0	9	0	—		33	1
	2008–09	Bundesliga	29	3	6	3	—		—		35	6
	2009–10	Bundesliga	31	1	1	0	—		—		32	1
	2010–11	Bundesliga	33	10	2	1	9	2	—		44	13
	Total		117	15	9	4	18	2	—		144	21
Juventus	2011–12	Serie A	33	7	2	0	—		—		35	7
	2012–13	Serie A	31	10	4	1	9	3	1	1	45	15
	2013–14	Serie A	32	11	1	0	12	7	1	0	46	18
	2014–15	Serie A	28	7	4	0	12	1	1	0	45	8
	Total		124	35	11	1	33	11	3	1	171	48
Bayern Munich	2015–16	Bundesliga	30	4	6	1	11	2	1	0	48	7
	2016–17	Bundesliga	27	4	5	1	8	3	1	1	41	9
	2017–18	Bundesliga	22	6	5	0	7	0	1	0	35	6
	Total		79	14	16	2	26	5	3	1	124	22
Barcelona	2018–19	La Liga	33	3	8	0	11	0	1	0	53	3
	2019–20	La Liga	33	8	2	0	7	0	1	0	43	8
	Total		66	11	10	0	18	0	2	0	96	11
Inter Milan	2020–21	Serie A	23	1	3	1	4	0	—		30	2
	2021–22	Serie A	28	1	5	0	7	1	1	0	41	2
	Total		51	2	8	1	11	1	1	0	71	4
Flamengo	2022	Série A	15	2	6	0	5	0	—		26	2
	2023	Série A	6	0	2	0	5	0	12	0	25	0
	Total		21	2	8	0	10	0	12	0	51	2
Athletico Paranaense	2023	Série A	7	0	0	0	2	0	—		9	0
Colo-Colo	2024	Chilean Primera División	19	4	5	2	10	1	1	1	35	8
Career total			523	85	67	10	148	23	22	3	760	121

International

Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Chile	2007	8	0
	2008	6	0
	2009	7	1
	2010	7	1
	2011	11	1
	2012	5	1
	2013	8	4
	2014	10	1
	2015	11	4
	2016	13	7
	2017	12	3
	2018	7	3
	2019	10	2
	2020	4	4
	2021	12	0
	2022	6	1
	2023	5	1
	2024	2	0
Total		144	34

Scores and results list Chile's goal tally first.

List of international goals scored by Arturo Vidal
No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1.	5 September 2009	Estadio Monumental David Arellano, Santiago, Chile	Venezuela	1–0	2–2	2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
2.	17 November 2010	Estadio Monumental David Arellano, Santiago, Chile	Uruguay	2–0	2–0	Friendly
3.	4 July 2011	Estadio del Bicentenario, San Juan, Argentina	Mexico	2–1	2–1	2011 Copa América
4.	2 June 2012	Estadio Hernando Siles, La Paz, Bolivia	Bolivia	2–0	2–0	2014 FIFA World Cup qualification
5.	7 June 2013	Estadio Defensores del Chaco, Asunción, Paraguay	Paraguay	2–0	2–1
6.	11 June 2013	Estadio Nacional, Santiago, Chile	Bolivia	3–1	3–1
7.	6 September 2013	Estadio Nacional, Santiago, Chile	Venezuela	3–0	3–0
8.	11 October 2013	Estadio Metropolitano Roberto Meléndez, Barranquilla, Colombia	Colombia	1–0	3–3
9.	14 October 2014	Estadio Municipal Francisco Sanchez Rumoroso, Coquimbo, Chile	Bolivia	2–2	2–2	Friendly
10.	11 June 2015	Estadio Nacional, Santiago, Chile	Ecuador	1–0	2–0	2015 Copa América
11.	15 June 2015		Mexico	1–1	3–3
12.	15 June 2015		Mexico	3–2	3–3
13.	12 November 2015		Colombia	1–0	1–1	2018 FIFA World Cup qualification
14.	29 March 2016	Estadio Agustín Tovar, Barinas, Venezuela	Venezuela	3–1	4–1
15.	29 March 2016	Estadio Agustín Tovar, Barinas, Venezuela	Venezuela	4–1	4–1
16.	10 June 2016	Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, United States	Bolivia	1–0	2–1	Copa América Centenario
17.	10 June 2016	Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, United States	Bolivia	2–1	2–1	Copa América Centenario
18.	1 September 2016	Estadio Defensores del Chaco, Asunción, Paraguay	Paraguay	1–2	1–2	2018 FIFA World Cup qualification
19.	11 October 2016	Estadio Nacional, Santiago, Chile	Peru	1–0	2–1
20.	11 October 2016		Peru	2–1	2–1
21.	2 June 2017		Burkina Faso	1–0	3–0	Friendly
22.	2 June 2017		Burkina Faso	2–0	3–0	Friendly
23.	18 June 2017	Otkritie Arena, Moscow, Russia	Cameroon	1–0	2–0	2017 FIFA Confederations Cup
24.	24 March 2018	Friends Arena, Solna, Sweden	Sweden	1–0	2–1	Friendly
25.	20 November 2018	Estadio Germán Becker, Temuco, Chile	Honduras	1–0	4–1
26.	20 November 2018	Estadio Germán Becker, Temuco, Chile	Honduras	2–0	4–1
27.	6 July 2019	Arena Corinthians, São Paulo, Brazil	Argentina	1–2	1–2	2019 Copa América
28.	15 October 2019	Estadio José Rico Pérez, Alicante, Spain	Guinea	3–1	3–2	Friendly
29.	13 October 2020	Estadio Nacional, Santiago, Chile	Colombia	1–1	2–2	2022 FIFA World Cup qualification
30.	13 November 2020		Peru	1–0	2–0
31.	13 November 2020		Peru	2–0	2–0
32.	17 November 2020	Estadio Olímpico de la UCV, Caracas, Venezuela	Venezuela	1–1	1–2
33.	27 September 2022	Franz Horr Stadium, Vienna, Austria	Qatar	2–2	2–2	Friendly
34.	8 September 2023	Estadio Centenario, Montevideo, Uruguay	Uruguay	1–3	1–3	2026 FIFA World Cup qualification