Nani

This article is about the Portuguese footballer. For other uses, see Nani (disambiguation).
This name uses Portuguese naming customs. The first or maternal family name is Almeida and the second or paternal family name is Cunha.Luís Carlos Almeida da Cunha (born 17 November 1986), commonly known as Nani, is a Portuguese footballer currently playing as a winger for English club Manchester United in the Premier League and the Portugal national team. Although predominantly right-footed, he has been utilised on the left-wing on many occasions and was compared to compatriot Cristiano Ronaldo during his move to England.Nani was born in Cape Verde and emigrated to Europe with his family at an early age. He was raised in Portugal and began his football career playing for local side Real Massamá. At the age of 16, he began training with Sporting CP and Benfica on alternate days, eventually joining Sporting's youth squad after they offered him pre-season training. In 2005, he made his professional debut with the club and won the Portuguese Cup during his second season with them. Nani was named the SJPF Young Player of the Month for May 2007 and his performances with Sporting culminated into a move to English club side Manchester United in July 2007 for a fee of €25.5 million. Nani won the Community Shield on his competitive debut at the club and has since added a number of trophies which included the Premier League and Champions League during his debut season at the club. He has established himself as first-choice winger at Manchester United and has won a further Premier League title, the Football League Cup, one FIFA Club World Cup, and three Community Shield titles. Individually, Nani has been included into the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) Premier League Team of the Year on one occasion and was a nominee for the PFA Young Player of the Year in 2011.Nani is also a Portugal international. Prior to playing at senior level, he played at under-21 level. He made his senior international debut in Portugal debut in September 2006 in a friendly match against Denmark and scored his first international goal during the 4–2 defeat in Copenhagen. Since his debut, he has made 46 appearances and scored 9 goals for Portugal.Nani was born on 17 November 1986 in Praia, Cape Verde, off the west coast of Africa. Nani emigrated with his family to Portugal at an early age. Nani was raised by his aunt Antonia in the Santa Filomena estate in the Amadora district of Lisbon after being abandoned by his parents. At the age of five, his father left for a holiday in Cape Verde but never returned and when he was 12 years old his mother left Portugal to start a new life in Holland. Nani has eight siblings from his mother, of which he is the youngest, and five from his father. Nani gained his nickname from an elder sister at a young age.
Nani was born on 17 November 1986 in Praia, Cape Verde, off the west coast of Africa. Nani emigrated with his family to Portugal at an early age. Nani was raised by his aunt Antonia in the Santa Filomena estate in the Amadora district of Lisbon after being abandoned by his parents. At the age of five, his father left for a holiday in Cape Verde but never returned and when he was 12 years old his mother left Portugal to start a new life in Holland. Nani has eight siblings from his mother, of which he is the youngest, and five from his father.Nani gained his nickname from an elder sister at a young age.Nani's older brother taught him how to play football and he played with his childhood friend, midfielder Manuel Fernandes. Around the age of 14, Nani's older brother took him to train with Real Massamá. They were Nani's first club and gave him money, food, and helped him obtain an ID Card and a passport. At the age of 16, Nani was training on alternate days with Sporting and Benfica. Nani sometimes walked miles to and from practice before Sporting offered him pre-season training Despite growing up in Lisbon, Nani and his brother supported Porto as a boy and his footballing hero was Luis Figo.Nani joined Sporting CP from his first club Real Massamá. After two seasons in the youth team, where he won the National Junior Championship in 2004–05, Nani was promoted to the first team early in the 2005–06 season.On 10 August 2005, Nani made his Sporting debut, coming on as a substitute for Custódio in the 73rd minute in a 1–0 home defeat to Udinese in their third-round qualifier in the UEFA Champions League.Nani made his Portuguese Liga debut on 28 August, replacing Deivid in the 76th minute of a 2–1 victory over Marítimo at the Estádio dos Barreiros. Nani scored his first Sporting goal on 30 October, opening the scoring in a 2–2 draw away to Boavista. Nani ended the first season of his career with 36 appearances and five goals in all competitions.Nani first came into the spotlight after scoring in the Champions League against Spartak Moscow,netting Sporting's goal in a 1–1 group stage tie on 27 September 2006. Nani helped Sporting win the 2006–07 Portuguese Cup,lifting the trophy after a 1–0 win over Belenenses on 27 May 2007 in the final. Nani was then named as the SJPF Young Player of the Month for May 2007. Nani's second season with Sporting ended with similar league statistics and 40 appearances and six goals in all competitions.

Nani was sold to Manchester United F.C. for €25.5 million five percent of which was paid to Real de Massamá. He passed his medical on 6 June 2007, and signed a five-year contract a month later, joining Portugal team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo—with whom he lived for a time at the start of his Manchester United career—at the club.
Nani scored on his debut in a pre-season friendly against Shenzhen, netting the third in a 6–0 win. He also scored in the following game against Guangzhou Pharmaceutical with a chip off the right post from the left side of the penalty area in a 3–0 win.On 5 August 2007, Nani made his competitive debut for United, coming on as a substitute in the Community Shield against Chelsea. He marked his debut with a trophy after they won 3–0 on penalties, following a 1–1 draw during normal time.This was followed up by Nani's third goal for the club three days later, when he scored against Glentoran in another 3–0 pre-season win.


☆Nani skills New Session 2011 HD☆
Nani's Premier League debut came in United's opening match at home to Reading on 12 August as a substitute for Wayne Rooney, who had suffered a foot injury. Two weeks later, on 26 August, Nani scored his first competitive goal for United, netting a 30-yard winner in the 69th minute against Tottenham Hotspur. Nani also set up crucial goals for Louis Saha and Nemanja Vidić allowing United to beat both Sunderland and Everton 1–0. He returned to his previous club, Sporting, in a Champions League tie in September, though it was team-mate and fellow former Sporting man Cristiano Ronaldo scored the winner in a 1–0 victory. Nani opened the scoring in a 4–1 home victory over Middlesbrough on 27 October.
On 16 February 2008, Nani put in a man of the match performance against Arsenal in the FA Cup Fourth Round, his goal and two assists helping United to a 4–0 win over their rivals. During the match, Nani was involved in an altercation with Arsenal captain William Gallas who felt that the Portuguese was "showboating".
Arsène Wenger was equally displeased, while Gilberto Silva said that Nani had a "big head". On 23 March, Nani set up the second and scored the final goal in a 3–0 victory over rivals Liverpool, in the 79th and 81st minutes respectively, after coming onto the pitch as a substitute.On 3 May, towards the end of a 4–1 win over West Ham United, Nani was sent off for the first time in his United career for a headbutt on West Ham defender Lucas Neill.On 21 May, Nani came on as a substitute for Wayne Rooney in the 2008 UEFA Champions League Final as United defeated Chelsea 6–5 on penalties following a 1–1 draw after extra time. Nani took and scored Manchester United's crucial fifth penalty in the shootout.