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Manchester United great Nemanja Vidic recently spoke to FourFourTwo as part of Heineken's 'Fans Have More Friends' campaign.

The former Red Devils captain opened up about the players he shares the strongest friendships with from his illustrious football career.

The legendary Serbian centre-back mentioned two of his ex-Manchester United team-mates among his best friends, along with a former colleague from Inter Milan.

Speaking to FourFourTwo ahead of the UEFA Champions League final, Vidic participated in Heineken’s initiative that connects supporters with the excitement of the game through its 'Fans Have More Friends' campaign.

Vidic said, “Obviously, from Inter, where I played, Samir Handanovic, the goalkeeper, we are still good friends and actually our families get on well together as well.”

He continued, “And Rio [Ferdinand], always, you know. Even if you don't see each other for a long time, when you see each other, it's great to catch up with each other, to talk about the game, to enjoy football.”

Reflecting on his playing days, he added, “We didn’t have time to enjoy it when we were football players because we were travelling, preparing for games, under a lot of tension and pressure to perform well.”

Vidic also mentioned another close friend from his United days, saying, “Berba, too, I'm close with – so yeah, there are quite a few players. I'm in touch with some Serbian guys too.”

Vidic and Ferdinand formed one of the most formidable defensive partnerships in Manchester United’s history, anchoring the backline the last time the club lifted the Champions League trophy. The Serbian emphasised that their bond off the pitch played a major role in their success together.

“I think it's very important to have a good spirit in the team in general, but especially if you play at the back,” Vidic explained. “You want to trust your partner, you know?”

He further elaborated, “I obviously played with him for nine years and we worked on our relationship on the pitch and off the pitch to understand each other. I think I've talked about that many times, but definitely, I believe that it is very important.”

Describing their chemistry, Vidic said, “The way that Rio plays and the way I play complement each other. We are kind of different, but we understand each other – what I will do in certain situations, what he will do, and that's it. To understand your friend, that’s friendship.”