News Focus
- Dario Vidosic leads Brighton & Hove Albion against Manchester City at Wembley Stadium
- The Seagulls chase their first major trophy in Sunday’s Women’s FA Cup final
- Vidosic’s father Rado, the club’s former head of coaching, died in January aged 64
- Kick-off is scheduled for 15:00 BST
Dario Vidosic will carry heavy emotions when he leads Brighton & Hove Albion onto the pitch at Wembley this Sunday. The manager hopes to lift the Women’s FA Cup as a tribute to his late father.
Rado Vidosic worked as the club’s head of women’s and girls’ coaching. He lost his life in January at the age of 64 following an illness with cancer. He was also Dario’s father and a popular figure within the squad.
The death affected the entire club deeply. Dario took a break from the dugout for one month on compassionate leave. He returned to duty in February and inspired a remarkable turnaround in form.
Since his return, Brighton climbed to seventh place in the Women’s Super League. They also reached their first-ever FA Cup final. Now they face Manchester City, who recently won the WSL title, for the biggest prize in domestic cup football.
“I carry dad with me into every single game,” Dario told BBC Sport. “I read through his old coaching notes and think about what advice he would give me. I know he will be with us on Sunday.”
The 39-year-old coach was born in Croatia but moved to Australia as a baby when his father played for Queensland Lions. He followed his father’s footsteps into professional football, first as a player for the Australian national team and later as a coach.
“From a young age, everything was with dad,” Dario explained. “I watched him play and trained with the junior teams. My parents sacrificed a lot to help my career.”
Dario later served as his father’s assistant at Melbourne City. When Rado moved to the men’s side in 2022, Dario took charge of the women’s team. He joined Brighton two years later and has helped close the gap to the league’s top four.
The Sussex club has shown serious ambition in recent seasons. In 2021, they opened a new £8.5 million training centre. They have also announced plans to build Europe’s first stadium designed specifically for women’s football, costing an estimated £75-80 million.
The squad includes England star Fran Kirby and Nigeria goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie. Kirby, who won this trophy five times with Chelsea, said the players want to win for Rado.
“Nobody would be prouder than Rado of Dario reaching this final,” Kirby stated. “He left a massive mark on us. We want to honour his memory.”
American forward Madison Haley, who scored in the semi-final victory against Liverpool, added that the whole team thinks about their former coach.
“Dario never makes it about himself, but we all want to make Rado proud,” Haley said. “We will give absolutely everything on the pitch.”
Manchester City arrive at Wembley seeking a domestic Double after securing the league crown. However, Brighton dream of lifting their first major trophy and giving their manager a perfect tribute to his father.