Nani and Giggs were both confronted by Ferguson
Nani and Giggs were both confronted by Ferguson
Former Manchester United winger Nani is remembered at Old Trafford for his dazzling skills and trophy-laden tenure – as well as a notorious incident involving Ryan Giggs and an irate Sir Alex Ferguson.
While many United players achieved remarkable success under Ferguson, they were all acutely aware that the gravest offence they could commit at the club was falling out of favour with the fiery Scot. By his own admission, Nani, who has now announced his retirement after 25 years in football, often felt uneasy around Ferguson and seemingly did everything he could to steer clear of the infamous 'hairdryer' treatment.
Despite his best attempts, the ex-Sporting CP wideman found himself in the firing line from his manager after fluffing a penalty against Fulham in 2010. To make matters worse, it was a penalty he shouldn't have taken in the first place, with former Wales captain Giggs being the designated penalty taker.
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However, the Portuguese star confessed that he publicly undermined Giggs in the dressing room after the match in an attempt to save face. But this strategy didn't sit well with Ferguson, reports the Mirror.
"[Ferguson] was my neighbour and we used to go to London by train," Nani told the UTD Podcast in 2020. "His wife or his family used to leave him in the train station so on the way back he has no driver to take him so he was looking for someone who lives close to him to give him a ride. So I said, 'OK boss, I'll take you home!' But that day, it's so funny believe me! The day I took him home was after a game against Fulham away, and I was on the bench.
"I was playing unbelievable with a lot of confidence. We won a penalty and it was Ryan Giggs who took the penalties. I felt confident and Giggs didn't say anything. I took the penalty and I missed. The penalty should make it 3-2. We are going back home that day and I say, 'boss, I can take you home'. I drove him back home and he didn't talk to me in the car! In the dressing room he killed me! He said, 'Nani, who do you think you are?'"
Despite Nani's hope that Giggs could take some of the flak off him, Ferguson – in true fashion – turned to his other mercurial winger and let rip at him too. Nani added: "'Who gave you permission to take the penalty? Ryan!' And then he killed Ryan Giggs, because he said, 'Ryan, why did you let him take the penalty?'
"Ryan said, 'he grabbed the ball and I let him.' Oh my god, that day was incredible. I took him home and I felt very uncomfortable driving home."
Despite their initial tension, Nani disclosed that Ferguson actually held him in high regard. As Nani's command of English improved, so did their relationship, with the former winger acknowledging he learned a great deal about his esteemed manager.
"At the beginning, I was very scared of him. Like a father," Nani said. "To make a mistake or do something wrong, because sometimes to interact with him, I don't know. I see him talking with other players and I want to be involved but I think what am I going to say, you know? I don't know.
"But I was scared of him until I learned to understand and was able to express myself. My English has never been perfect, or going to be, but at that time it was worse than now and when we he found I could speak more with him, he started coming to me and giving me more attention. And from then, I learned more about Sir Alex Ferguson. What he wanted to do, who he was and the relationship started to be better."
Nani's tenure at United spanned from 2007 to 2015, during which he made 147 appearances and scored 25 goals. His time at the club saw him win four Premier League titles, two League Cups, and a Champions League title. After playing in Turkey, Spain, Italy, Australia, and the United States, the Portuguese international concluded his career at his boyhood club Estrela Amadora this week.