Blagoje Vidinić

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Blagoje Vidinić

| fullname = Blagoje Vidinić

| image =

| birth_date = {{birth date|1934|6|11|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Skopje, Kingdom of Yugoslavia

| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|2006|12|29|1934|6|11}}

| death_place = Strasbourg, France

| height = {{height|m=1.98}}

| position = Goalkeeper

| youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = Vardar

| years1 = 1951–1955 | clubs1 = Vardar | caps1 = 144 | goals1 = 0

| years2 = 1955–1961 | clubs2 = Radnički Beograd | caps2 = 123 | goals2 = 0

| years3 = 1962–1964 | clubs3 = OFK Beograd | caps3 = 33 | goals3 = 0

| years4 = 1964–1966 | clubs4 = FC Sion | caps4 = | goals4 =

| years5 = 1967 | clubs5 = Los Angeles Toros | caps5 = 20 | goals5 = 0

| years6 = 1968 | clubs6 = San Diego Toros | caps6 = 4 | goals6 = 0

| years7 = 1968 | clubs7 = St. Louis Stars | caps7 = 23 | goals7 = 0

| totalcaps = 286 | totalgoals = 0

| nationalyears1 = 1956–1960 | nationalteam1 = Yugoslavia | nationalcaps1 = 8 | nationalgoals1 = 0

| medaltemplates=

{{MedalCountry | {{YUG}} }}

| manageryears1 = 1970–1971 | managerclubs1 = Morocco

| manageryears2 = 1971–1972 | managerclubs2 = FAR Rabat

| manageryears3 = 1971–1974 | managerclubs3 = Zaire

| manageryears4 = 1976–1979 | managerclubs4 = Colombia

}}

Blagoje Vidinić ({{langx|mk|Благоја Видиниќ}}, {{langx|sr|Благоје Видинић}}; 11 June 1934{{cite web |url=https://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=61701/ |title=International stats |website=FIFA.com |access-date=2011-06-01 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121111173920/https://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=61701/ |archive-date=2012-11-11}} – 29 December 2006) was a professional football coach, player, and Olympic participant.{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/27998 |title=Blagoje Vidinić |work=Olympedia |access-date=1 December 2021}}

Born in present-day North Macedonia to a Serb family, he represented Yugoslavia internationally. He also managed the national football teams of Morocco, Zaire, and Colombia.

Playing career

=Club=

Born in Skopje, he played his club football for FK Vardar, Radnički Beograd and OFK Beograd in Yugoslavia, and then with FC Sion of Switzerland.{{NFT player|id=26040|name=Blagoje Vidinić|access-date=2011-06-01}} In 1967, he moved to the US to join the Los Angeles Toros of the National Professional Soccer League, making 20 appearances that season. He started the 1968 season with the relocated successor team San Diego Toros in the newly formed NASL, before moving to St. Louis Stars.[http://www.nasljerseys.com/Players/V/Vidinic.Blagoje.htm Stats at North American Soccer League players]. Nasljerseys.com (11 June 1934). Retrieved on 2011-08-02.

=International=

He played for Yugoslavia as a goalkeeper in the 1956 and 1960 Olympics, winning silver in the former and gold in the latter.[http://www.ffm.com.mk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=713%3A2010-03-30-12-14-03&catid=88%3A2010-03-30-12-10-56&Itemid=451&lang=mk Фудбалска Федерација на Македонија...Football Federation of Macedonia]. Ffm.com.mk. Retrieved on 2011-06-01. He also played in the 1960 UEFA European Football Championship when Yugoslavia finished second. He earned 8 caps and his final international was an October 1960 friendly match against Hungary.{{cite web|url=https://eu-football.info/_player.php?id=22185|title=Player Database|website=eu-football.info|access-date=2020-05-23}}

Managerial career

After retiring from playing, he became a coach, and managed two African teams in the FIFA World Cup: Morocco in 1970 and Zaire in 1974.[http://www.worldfootball.net/spieler_profil/blagoje-vidinic/#redirect Stats at]. Worldfootball.net (29 December 2006). Retrieved on 2011-06-01.