Nani (footballer) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Nani

Nani with Portugal in 2017
Personal information
Full name	Luís Carlos Almeida da Cunha
Date of birth	(1986-11-17) 17 November 1986 (age 38)
Place of birth	Amadora, Portugal
Height	1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s)	Winger
Youth career
2000–2003	Real Massamá
2003–2005	Sporting CP
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2005–2007	Sporting CP	58	(9)
2007–2015	Manchester United	147	(25)
2014–2015	→ Sporting CP (loan)	27	(7)
2015–2016	Fenerbahçe	28	(8)
2016–2018	Valencia	25	(5)
2017–2018	→ Lazio (loan)	18	(3)
2018–2019	Sporting CP	18	(7)
2019–2021	Orlando City	77	(28)
2022	Venezia	10	(0)
2022–2023	Melbourne Victory	10	(0)
2023–2024	Adana Demirspor	28	(4)
2024	Estrela da Amadora	9	(1)
Total		455	(97)
International career
2006–2007	Portugal U21	11	(1)
2006	Portugal B	1	(0)
2006–2017	Portugal	112	(24)
Medal record Men's football Representing  Portugal UEFA European Championship Winner 2016 FIFA Confederations Cup Third 2017
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Luís Carlos Almeida da Cunha (born November 17, 1986), known as Nani, is a Portuguese former professional footballer. He played as a winger, a player who runs down the sides of the field. Nani was known for his speed, fancy moves, and hard work on the field. Many people thought he was one of the best Portuguese players of his time.

Nani started his football journey at Sporting CP in Portugal, joining their youth team in 2003. He made his first-team debut in 2005 and helped them win the Portuguese Cup. In 2007, he moved to the English club Manchester United. There, he quickly became a key player, winning four Premier League titles, two League Cups, the FIFA Club World Cup, and the UEFA Champions League.

After a loan back to Sporting, where he won another Portuguese Cup, Nani played for clubs like Fenerbahçe in Turkey and Valencia in Spain. He returned to Sporting CP in 2018, winning two more trophies. Later, he moved to Major League Soccer in the United States, playing for Orlando City and even becoming their captain. He also played for Venezia in Italy, Melbourne Victory in Australia, and Adana Demirspor in Turkey. Nani finished his career playing for Estrela da Amadora in Portugal and announced his retirement in December 2024.

Nani also had a successful international career with the Portugal national team. He first played for Portugal in 2006 and became an important part of the squad. He played in three European Championships and the 2014 FIFA World Cup. A big moment was in Euro 2016, where he started in the final. After Cristiano Ronaldo got injured, Nani took over as captain and led the team to victory. He played 112 games for his country and scored 24 goals.

Early Life and Football Beginnings

Nani was born on November 17, 1986, in Amadora, Portugal. His family background is from Cape Verde. He grew up in Amadora, raised by his aunt after his parents left when he was young. His father left when Nani was five, and his mother moved to the Netherlands when he was 12. Nani is the youngest of his mother's nine children. His older sister gave him the nickname "Nani" when he was very young.

Nani's older brother taught him how to play football. He often played with his childhood friend, Manuel Fernandes. When Nani was about 14, his brother took him to train with Real Massamá. This was his first club, and they helped him a lot, even providing food and helping him get his ID and passport. When he was 16, Nani trained with both Sporting CP and Benfica. Sometimes, he had to walk long distances to get to practice. Even though he grew up near Lisbon, Nani and his brother supported Porto as kids. His football hero was Luís Figo.

Club Career Highlights

Sporting CP

Nani joined Sporting CP from Real Massamá. After two years in the youth team, where he won a national championship, he moved up to the first team in 2005. He made his debut for Sporting CP in August 2005 in a UEFA Champions League qualifier. He scored his first goal for the club in October that year.

In his second season, Nani scored in the UEFA Champions League against Spartak Moscow. He helped Sporting win the Portuguese Cup in May 2007. His strong performances caught the eye of bigger clubs.

Manchester United

Nani joined Manchester United in July 2007. He passed his medical and signed a five-year contract. He even lived with his Portuguese teammate Cristiano Ronaldo when he first arrived.

Starting Years at United

Nani scored in his very first friendly match for United. He made his official debut in the FA Community Shield against Chelsea in August 2007, winning his first trophy with the club. His Premier League debut came soon after. In August, he scored his first competitive goal for United with a long-range shot against Tottenham Hotspur. He also helped set up important goals for his teammates.

In February 2008, Nani played a fantastic game against Arsenal in the FA Cup, scoring a goal and assisting two others in a 4–0 win. In May, he was sent off for the first time in his United career. Later that month, he came on as a substitute in the 2008 UEFA Champions League Final against Chelsea. United won the match on penalties, and Nani scored a crucial penalty in the shootout.

In the 2008–09 season, Nani scored his first goal against Middlesbrough in the League Cup. He also scored against West Bromwich Albion and Derby County.

Becoming a Key Player

After Cristiano Ronaldo left Manchester United in 2009, many expected Nani to step up. He started the 2009–10 season by scoring in the 2009 FA Community Shield. He scored his first league goal of the season against Wigan Athletic. After some discussions with manager Sir Alex Ferguson, Nani's performances improved. In January 2010, he scored and assisted a goal in a 3–1 win over Arsenal. He signed a new four-year contract with United in March 2010. In April, Nani scored his first European goals for United, netting twice against Bayern Munich. He finished the season with seven goals in all competitions.

2010–11 Season

In the 2010–11 season, Nani continued to shine. He scored his first goal of the season in a 3–0 win over West Ham United. He scored important goals against Tottenham Hotspur and Bursaspor in the Champions League. In 2011, he scored the winning goal against Stoke City. He also scored his first Manchester derby goal against Manchester City.

Nani was nominated for the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) Young Player of the Year award. He was also included in the PFA Premier League Team of the Year for the first time. His excellent season was recognized when he was voted Manchester United's Players' Player of the Year.

2011–12 Season

Nani started the 2011–12 season strongly, scoring two goals against Manchester City in the Community Shield, including a winning goal in the last minute. He scored his first league goal of the season in an 8–2 victory over Arsenal. He made his 100th Premier League appearance in September, scoring against Chelsea. Nani was also nominated for the prestigious FIFA Ballon d'Or award. He continued to score and assist goals throughout the season, including two goals against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Later Years at United

In the 2012–13 season, Nani played fewer games but still contributed to United winning the league title. He was sent off in a Champions League match against Real Madrid, which was a key moment in that game. In September 2013, Nani signed a new contract with Manchester United. However, he struggled with injuries and form during the 2013–14 season.

Loan Return to Sporting CP

In August 2014, Nani returned to Sporting CP on a season-long loan. He quickly made an impact, scoring his first goal of the loan spell in the Champions League against Maribor. He also scored in the league. Nani helped Sporting win the Portuguese Cup final by scoring in the penalty shootout. This was the club's first trophy since 2008.

Fenerbahçe

In July 2015, Nani joined Turkish club Fenerbahçe. He made his debut alongside his former United teammate Robin van Persie. He scored two goals against Antalyaspor, including a winning free-kick.

Valencia

In July 2016, Nani signed with Spanish club Valencia. He made his debut in August. In September, he scored his first goal for Valencia, which was also his 100th goal as a professional player. During his time at Valencia, he faced several muscle injuries.

Loan to Lazio

In August 2017, Nani moved to Italian club Lazio on a loan deal. He scored his first goal for Lazio in October.

Return to Sporting CP

Nani rejoined Sporting CP in July 2018. He scored two goals in his second game back. He also scored a penalty in the Portuguese League Cup final, helping Sporting defeat Porto after a draw.

Orlando City

In February 2019, Nani moved to Major League Soccer side Orlando City in the United States. He made his debut in March, providing an assist. In April, he scored his first two goals for the team, including a winning penalty.

In 2020, Nani helped Orlando City reach the final of the MLS is Back Tournament, scoring two goals in the semi-finals. In 2021, he continued to perform well, earning "Goal of the Week" and "Player of the Week" awards. He left Orlando City in November 2021.

Later Career and Retirement

In January 2022, Nani signed with Italian club Venezia. His contract ended in July 2022.

In July 2022, Nani signed a two-year contract with Australian club Melbourne Victory. He played against his former club Manchester United in a friendly. In January 2023, he suffered a serious knee injury during a game, which ended his season. He left the club in May 2023.

In July 2023, Nani joined Turkish club Adana Demirspor. He played 28 league matches and 5 European Cup qualifiers, scoring 4 goals. He left the club in May 2024.

On December 8, 2024, after playing for Estrela Amadora, Nani announced his retirement from professional football.

International Career

Portugal Youth Teams

Nani was the youngest player in the Portugal U21 squad for the 2006 UEFA Under-21 Championship. He played in all three matches. In the 2007 European Under-21 Football Championship, he scored one goal against Israel U21.

Portugal Senior Team

Nani in action for Portugal in 2008

Nani made his first appearance for the senior Portuguese team on September 1, 2006, scoring a goal in a friendly match against Denmark. He became a regular member of the squad for Euro 2008 qualification.

UEFA Euro 2008

Nani was part of Luiz Felipe Scolari's squad for Euro 2008. He played three matches and provided an assist in the quarter-final defeat to Germany.

2010 FIFA World Cup and Qualification

Nani scored several goals during Portugal's World Cup qualifying campaign. He helped Portugal secure a play-off spot for the 2010 World Cup. He was named in the 23-man squad for the tournament, but unfortunately, he had to pull out due to a shoulder injury just before it started.

UEFA Euro 2012

Nani scored two goals and assisted another in Paulo Bento's first game as Portugal's coach in a Euro 2012 qualifying win over Denmark. He scored twice again in a win over Iceland in 2011.

2014 FIFA World Cup

Nani started in Portugal's opening match of the 2014 World Cup against Germany. In the team's second game, Nani scored the first goal for Portugal in a 2–2 draw with the United States.

UEFA Euro 2016 Victory

Nani scored Portugal's first goal in their final group stage match, a 3–3 draw against Hungary, which helped the team move to the knockout stage. He also contributed to the only goal in a 1–0 win against Croatia in the round of 16. In the semi-finals against Wales, he scored the second goal in a 2–0 victory.

Nani during the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup

In the final against host-nation France, Nani became the captain after Cristiano Ronaldo left the game due to an injury. Portugal went on to win the match 1–0 in extra-time, securing the European Championship title.

FIFA 2017 Confederations Cup

In June 2017, Nani scored a goal in a 4–0 win over New Zealand in the FIFA Confederations Cup, where Portugal finished in third place. He was named in Portugal's preliminary squad for the 2018 World Cup but did not make the final team.

Style of Play

When Nani first started playing for Manchester United, people often compared his skills to his teammate Cristiano Ronaldo. However, Nani's style developed into more of a traditional winger. He was very comfortable playing on the right side of the field.

Nani was known for his speed and amazing dribbling skills. He used his tricks to create space and send crosses into the box for his teammates. While he could shoot from far away, he was more known for setting up goals than scoring them himself. Because of his strong attacking skills, he could play in different forward positions, including as an inverted winger on the left or even as a main striker.

Goal Celebration

Nani was famous for his goal celebration, which was a somersault. In Portuguese, this move is called a "mortal." This celebration came from his background in capoeira, a Brazilian martial art that combines dance and acrobatics, which he practiced as a child. There were rumors that his manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, had banned the celebration because he was worried about Nani's safety. However, Nani said in 2007 that this was not true and that he would continue to celebrate his goals this way.

Career Statistics

Club

International

Portugal score listed first, score column indicates score after each Nani goal.

International goals by date, venue, cap, opponent, score, result and competition

No.	Date	Venue	Cap	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	1 September 2006	Brøndby Stadium, Copenhagen, Denmark	1	Denmark	2–2	2–4	Friendly
2	2 June 2007	King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, Belgium	6	Belgium	1–0	2–1	UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying
3	20 August 2008	Estádio Municipal de Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal	17	Faroe Islands	5–0	5–0	Friendly
4	6 September 2008	Ta' Qali National Stadium, Attard, Malta	18	Malta	4–0	4–0	2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
5	10 September 2008	Estádio José Alvalade, Lisbon, Portugal	19	Denmark	1–0	2–3	2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
6	14 October 2009	Estádio D. Afonso Henriques, Guimarães, Portugal	31	Malta	1–0	4–0	2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
7	1 June 2010	Complexo Desportivo da Covilhã, Covilhã, Portugal	36	Cameroon	3–1	3–1	Friendly
8	8 October 2010	Estádio do Dragão, Porto, Portugal	39	Denmark	1–0	3–1	UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying
9					2–0
10	7 October 2011	Estádio do Dragão, Porto, Portugal	48	Iceland	1–0	5–3	UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying
11					2–0
12	15 November 2011	Estádio da Luz, Lisbon, Portugal	51	Bosnia and Herzegovina	2–0	6–2	UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying
13	2 June 2012	Estádio da Luz, Lisbon, Portugal	54	Turkey	1–2	1–3	Friendly
14	15 October 2013	Estádio Cidade de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal	70	Luxembourg	2–0	3–0	2014 FIFA World Cup qualification
15	22 June 2014	Arena da Amazônia, Manaus, Brazil	77	United States	1–0	2–2	2014 FIFA World Cup
16	11 October 2015	Partizan Stadium, Belgrade, Serbia	90	Serbia	1–0	2–1	UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying
17	17 November 2015	Stade Josy Barthel, Luxembourg, Luxembourg	92	Luxembourg	2–0	2–0	Friendly
18	29 March 2016	Estádio Dr. Magalhães Pessoa, Leiria, Portugal	94	Belgium	1–0	2–1	Friendly
19	14 June 2016	Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Saint-Étienne, France	97	Iceland	1–0	1–1	UEFA Euro 2016
20	22 June 2016	Parc Olympique Lyonnais, Lyon, France	99	Hungary	1–1	3–3	UEFA Euro 2016
21	6 July 2016	Parc Olympique Lyonnais, Lyon, France	102	Wales	2–0	2–0	UEFA Euro 2016
22	1 September 2016	Estádio do Bessa, Porto, Portugal	104	Gibraltar	1–0	5–0	Friendly
23					2–0
24	24 June 2017	Krestovsky Stadium, Saint Petersburg, Russia	110	New Zealand	4–0	4–0	2017 FIFA Confederations Cup

Honours and Awards

Sporting CP

• Taça de Portugal: 2006–07, 2014–15, 2018–19
• Taça da Liga: 2018–19

Manchester United

• Premier League: 2007–08, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2012–13
• Football League Cup: 2008–09, 2009–10
• FA Community Shield: 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011
• UEFA Champions League: 2007–08
• FIFA Club World Cup: 2008

Portugal

• UEFA European Championship: 2016

Individual Awards

• SJPF Young Player of the Month: May 2007
• PFA Team of the Year: 2010–11 Premier League
• Most assists in the Premier League: 2010–11
• Manchester United Players' Player of the Year: 2010–11
• SJPF Player of the Month: October/November 2014
• Sporting CP Footballer of the Year: 2015
• MLS All-Star: 2019, 2021

Orders

• Commander of the Order of Merit

Images for kids

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  Nani with Gilberto Silva

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  Nani playing for United in 2008

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  Nani playing for Manchester United in 2008

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  Nani celebrates scoring against West Bromwich Albion in a 2–2 draw on 16 October 2010

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  Nani with Fenerbahçe in 2015

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  Nani battling for the ball with Lukas Podolski in their Euro 2012 group stage match