Nani bids farewell to professional football

Nani made his own way at Old Trafford and will always be linked to his countryman and United teammate Cristiano Ronaldo. The former Sporting CP striker, was a winger with an unlimited repertoire of skills, also had end product. During United's second-most recent top-flight championship in 2010–11, Nani scored nine goals and provided fourteen Premier League assists, earning him the honor of Player of the Season.

At the age of 38, four-time Premier League winner Nani declared his retirement from professional football. The former Portugal and Manchester United attacker had a brilliant career, making over 700 club and national matches, winning numerous major awards. He also took social media to announced his retirement. He post a video and wrote a message on his social media account.

Reflecting end to his career, Nani ended his message with the phrase "Thank you" in five different languages. "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!"

The time has come to say goodbye, I have decided to finish my career as a professional player. 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… pic.twitter.com/3ZuSMrPHcR

— Nani (@luisnani) December 8, 2024

Nani won the Euro 2016 with Portugal

In the nine years that followed his departure from Manchester United in the summer of 2014, Nani played for eight different teams across six nations. Nani was instrumental in Portugal's victory at Euro 2016, but his club career never reached the same heights as the local and continental dominance he experienced at United. In addition to Ronaldo, the forward was his country's leading scorer as Fernando Santos' obdurate team won Portugal's first major prize.

The 38-year-old's one-year contract with Turkish team Adana Demirspor ended last summer after stints with Fenerbahce, Valencia, Lazio, Orlando City, Venezia, and Melbourne Victory. Before rejoining Estrela in the Portuguese top flight, Nani was without a team for a long time.

Nani made nine league games during the 20th season of his professional career, and he even scored in a September 2-2 draw with Boavista. In his last professional game, the veteran lost 5-1 against Sporting CP, the team that initially developed his extraordinary potential.