Man Utd legend Nani retires after profitable all of it with ‘unforgettable recollections’

Manchester United legend Nani has retired at the age of 38.

Signing by Sir Alex Ferguson from Sporting CP for £17m in 2007, the maverick Portuguese winger won four Premier League titles, the Champions League against Chelsea in Moscow in 2008, and two League Cups during a glittering spell at Old Trafford.

In a statement posted on X on Sunday, December 8, he confirmed the end of his playing career. He said: “The time has come to say goodbye, I have decided to finish my career as a professional player.

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“It’s been an amazing ride and I wanted to thank every single person who has helped me and supported me through the highs and lows during a career which lasted over 20 years and gave me so many unforgettable memories.

“Time to turn a new leaf and focus on new goals and dreams. See you soon! Obrigado. Thank you. Gracias. Grazie. Tesekkurler.”

United paid tribute to their former star with a post on X that simply said “Obrigado” – thanks – and a clip of him scoring two spectacular goals at Old Trafford.

In total, Nani made 147 league appearances and scored 26 league goals for the Red Devils, having joined his international team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo at the club, with whom he lived with at the beginning of his time in England.

He was famous for celebrating goals with a daring somersault referred to in Portuguese as a “mortal” – “leap of death” – similar to that of Obafemi Martins and Lomana LuaLua. The celebration derives from Nani’s background in capoeira, the Afro-Brazilian martial art, which he used to practice as a child.

It was once claimed Sir Alex had banned his trademark celebration out of fear for his player’s safety, but Nani later dispelled the rumours, telling the media: “Ferguson has never spoken to me about this subject and I am going to continue to celebrate goals in this way”.

Towards the end of his time at Old Trafford he struggled for form and was loaned back to Sporting CP. After leaving United in 2015, he played in Europe for Fenerbahce, Valencia and Lazio.

The silky winger also starred alongside Ronaldo when Portugal won the Euros in 2016. He bagged his country’s first goal in a 3-3 group stage draw with Hungary, which helped the team qualify for the knockout stage.

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He followed that up with the only goal of the match in a 1–0 extra-time victory in the round of 16 against Croatia, before assisting a goal in a quarter-final over Poland, scoring a penalty in the shootout win, then scoring the second goal in a 2-0 win over Wales in the semi-final. He then captained his nation after Ronaldo went off injured in the 1-0 win against France to lift the trophy.

In 2019 he moved to the MLS with Orlando City, before spells in Italy, Australia and Turkey, ahead of a return to his home country with Primeira Liga club Estrela da Amadora.

Earlier this season he endorsed the appointment of his former Portugal team-mate Ruben Amorim as United manager. “All I can say is good luck,” Nani told Sport TV. “He has done an excellent job at Sporting, and I hope he can do the same at United, which is a great club, one of the best clubs in the world.”

“I think he is in a great place. He will have the chance with excellent players to deliver a strong response, as he has all the conditions to do so.”