Vendrame began his playing career in the Udinese youth sector at the age of 13, and later moved to Serie A side SPAL in 1967, but did not make a single appearance for the team. He later played for Torres, and subsequently Siena in 1969, before returning to SPAL once again, in Serie C; he also played for Roverto. He made his Serie A debut with Vicenza in 1971, where he rose to hero status due to his performances; he remained with the club until 1974, when he earned a move to Napoli; however, he only remained with the latter side for a season, as he soon fell out of favour with the club's strict manager – Luís Vinício – and struggled to gain playing time, obtaining only three appearances during his time with the team. In total, he scored one goal in 49 Serie A appearances.