Nani lifts the Champions League trophy alongside former Manchester United teammate Cristiano Ronaldo
Nani lifts the Champions League trophy alongside former Manchester United teammate Cristiano Ronaldo
Former Manchester United winger Nani has announced his retirement from professional football at the age of 38.
The Portuguese forward, who won the European Championships with his country, joined United in 2007 for a fee of £21m from Sporting. His arrival coincided with the arrival of his teammate Cristiano Ronaldo at Old Trafford.
He would eventually leave Manchester in 2015 but not before making 230 appearances for the club, scoring 41 goals and grabbing 70 assists. While at United, he also won four Premier League titles, the Champions League, the Club World Cup, two Carabao Cups and four Community Shields.
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After United, he moved to Fenerbahce and his career would take him all over the world, playing in the likes of Spain with Valencia, Italy with Lazio, USA with Orlando City before eventually returning to Portugal in the summer with Estrella Amadora. After featuring ten times for them and scoring one goal, Nani took to social media to announce his retirement and hinted at his future plans.
In his statement, he said: "As everyone knows, everything comes to an end. And, at this moment, I’ve taken the time to make a very important decision.
"Perhaps the most important decision of my professional life, which is the decision to stop playing as a professional player. I’m going to, as they say, hang up the boots.
"But I do so with a sense of duty fulfilled, mission accomplished - as an athlete, as a teammate, and as a professional. I believe it was a beautiful career, a career filled with many achievements.
"And for that reason, the time has come when it’s important to make this decision. The opportunties that have come my way now indicate that I’m ready to move forward in these new paths.
"For instance, the academy I’m building here for young people, where I’ll be able to work alongside them and enjoy these wonderful moments. The difficult moments I’ve recently experienced - like losing my father not long ago - made me realise that I want to spend more time with my family.
"I want to make the most of my time with my children, my wife, my mother, my siblings, cousins, uncles and aunts. They also need me, and I need to be with them because it’s very important.
"I couldn’t leave without sharing this message with you and thanking everyone who helped me achieve all my goals, all those titles, all those battles and overcome every obstacle that appeared in my path. Football has given me so much, it has brought me so many opportunities, and I believe that, at this moment, my duty is to give back everything football has given me.
"I now have a great opportunity to do so. So, a big hug to everyone. Thank you, and see you soon."