Chilean · Santiago, Chile · Born 22 May 1987Ferocious box-to-box midfielder and Copa América winner whose combative style and medal haul made him one of the most decorated footballers of his generation.
Arturo Erasmo Vidal Pardo was born on 22 May 1987 in San Joaquín, Santiago, Chile, and progressed through the youth ranks of Rodelindo Román and Melipilla before joining Colo-Colo, where he won three Chilean Primera División titles and established himself as one of the most promising young midfielders in South American football. Vidal moved to Germany's Bayer Leverkusen in 2007, and his combative, all-action style — a combination of tenacious tackling, aggressive pressing, and surprising attacking output for a midfielder — earned him a move to Juventus in 2011. There, the Italian press nicknamed him "Il Guerriero" (The Warrior) and "Rey Arturo" (King Arthur) for his fierce competitive spirit, and he won four consecutive Serie A titles during his time in Turin. Vidal went on to play for Bayern Munich, winning further Bundesliga titles, before spells at Barcelona and Inter Milan, becoming one of the most travelled and consistently decorated South American players of his generation across four of Europe's biggest leagues. He later returned to South American football with Brazilian clubs Flamengo and Athletico Paranaense. Vidal captains the Chile national team and is widely regarded as one of the greatest Chilean players in history, having won back-to-back Copa América titles with his country in 2015 and 2016. He returned to his boyhood club Colo-Colo in 2024, continuing his career in Chilean football decades after first breaking through there as a teenager.
Key player in Chile's back-to-back Copa América victories
He won league titles in Italy, Germany, Spain and Brazil — one of only a handful of players to win top-flight titles in four different countries.
Did You Know?How They Played
Box-to-box midfielder with exceptional work rate, aerial ability, and leadership qualities
Lasting Impact
One of Chile's greatest players, known for his warrior mentality and trophy collection across Europe
Career Honours
- Copa América 2015, 2016
- Serie A 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015
- Bundesliga 2016, 2017, 2018
- La Liga 2019
- DFB-Pokal 2017
- Copa del Rey 2021
- Coppa Italia 2021
| Club | Period | Fee | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colo-Colo | 2005–2007 | — | 36 | 2 |
| Bayer Leverkusen | 2007–2011 | — | 117 | 15 |
| Juventus | 2011–2015 | — | 124 | 35 |
| Bayern Munich | 2015–2018 | £25m | 79 | 14 |
| Barcelona | 2018–2020 | — | 66 | 11 |
| Inter Milan | 2020–2022 | — | 51 | 2 |
| Flamengo | 2022–2023 | — | 28 | 2 |
| Athletico Paranaense | 2023–2024 | — | 7 | 0 |
| Colo-Colo | 2024–Present | — | 53 | 8 |
 Chile | — | — | 142 | 34 |
Chilean Athletes