Nani was named man of the match against Arsenal in the FA Cup Fourth Round on February 16, 2008, with his goal and two assists leading United to a 4-0 victory. During the game, Nani got into a spat with Arsenal captain William Gallas. After the match, Gunners manager Arsène Wenger criticized Nani for his behavior during the match.
He later apologized for his actions. "I want to apologize to the fans for my reaction after the match," he said. "My feelings are very strong because we were playing against my old club. I feel very proud to be an Arsenal player and I never want to let anyone down who has supported me throughout my career."
After scoring his first goal for the club, Nani told reporters: "It's a big pleasure for me to score my first goal for Man United. It's not just any old goal either - it's against my former club! I hope this start can set the tone for many more victories to come."
Nani has been involved in several controversies during his career. In 2009, he was banned for three matches by the Football Association after elbowing Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic in the face during a Premier League match at Old Trafford on December 23. The incident occurred when Nani went over the back of the Serbian defender to meet a long ball forward.
There were a few surprises, namely the absence of Nani and Renato Sanches from the final roster. The manager appears to have picked youth over experience, with Andre Silva and Goncalo Guedes being selected to play alongside captain Cristiano Ronaldo. Which team does he represent? When Nani joined Manchester United in 2007, he made headlines in England.
Nani was named man of the match against Arsenal in the FA Cup Fourth Round on February 16, 2008, with his goal and two assists leading United to a 4-0 victory. During the game, Nani got into a spat with Arsenal captain William Gallas.
Nani scored the first goal and set up Rooney's 100th career Premier League goal in a 1-3 league victory over Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on January 31, 2010. Many outlets first felt Nani's goal was an own goal by Manuel Almunia, however the Dubious Goals Panel certified Nani's goal on March 26. The Daily Mail reported that Nani had "deliberately handballed" the ball.
He received criticism from some fans for this goal, but most agreed it was an honest mistake that wasn't meant to be a goal. In an interview with FourFourTwo, Nani explained, "I thought I had taken it out with my hand, but after they showed me the footage again I saw that my arm was above the ball when I struck it."
Rooney got his chance after Nani missed a penalty during England's 1-1 draw with Sweden in a friendly held at Upton Park on February 2. It was also reported that Roy Hodgson wanted to give Rooney a chance after he came off the bench to replace Nani in the 68th minute of the game. However, Fabio Capello decided to stick with Nani instead.
Despite missing out on the World Cup in South Africa this year, Nani continued to prove himself in England by scoring important goals. He scored the only goal in the Lions' 1-0 win over Stoke City at the Britannia Stadium on November 6, 2011.
Nani made his professional debut for the club in 2005, winning the Taca de Portugal in his second season. Nani was named the SJPF Young Player of the Month in May 2007, and his accomplishments with Sporting resulted in a move to English club Manchester United for a cost of EUR25 million in July 2007. He became a major success at Old Trafford, finishing as the club's top scorer in both 2008 and 2009.
Nani played an important role in helping Man United win the FA Cup in 2008 and the League Cup in 2009. He scored the opening goal in the 2008 final against Chelsea, though Man United lost 3-1. Nani also helped the team reach the 2009 League Cup final, but they were defeated by Chelsea on penalties after the match ended 1-1 after extra time.
In all, Nani has 24 goals in 100 appearances for Man United. He signed a new contract with the club in November 2010, which will keep him at Old Trafford until 2014.
After failing to score in eight games this season, manager Sir Alex Ferguson announced in December that Nani would be allowed to leave the club this summer if a suitable offer came in. However, no transfer took place and Ferguson later stated that he does not want to sell Nani.
Freebase (0.00/0 votes) Please rate this definition: Nani. Luis Carlos Almeida da Cunha, better known as Nani, is a Portuguese footballer who currently plays for Manchester United and the Portugal national team. He has been referred to as "Portugal's Michael Ballack" due to his excellent ball control and technique.
He joined Porto's youth system at the age of nine and was promoted to their first-team squad in 2009 at the age of 18. That season, he helped them win the Primeira Liga title after scoring seven goals in 33 matches.
After helping Porto retain their title the following season, he moved to Chelsea on a five-year deal worth £5 million ($7.4 million). However, he failed to make an appearance for the Blues and was loaned out to AC Milan and Juventus before joining United on a free transfer in July 2014.
At United, he made his debut in the UEFA Champions League against Basel on 22 September 2014 and scored his first goal for the club in a 4-1 victory over Southampton on 25 October 2014. He also won the Footballer of the Year award at the Portuguese football awards in 2015.
Nani has represented Portugal at every level from under-16 through to senior team and is regarded as one of the country's most talented players.
Nani (na'ni) is a Portuguese professional footballer who currently plays as a winger for Sporting CP in the Primeira Liga. He is known for his speed, technique, and ability to score goals.
Nani was born on 9 January 1989 in Vila Nova de Gaia, Portgual. His family moved to England when he was only five years old and he grew up there until the age of 18. He returned to Portugal after making his debut for Manchester United and has since gone on to play for several other European clubs including Real Madrid, Juventus, and most recently, Sporting CP.
Nani has won many trophies with each club he has played for, including three English Premier League titles, one FA Cup, and one UEFA Champions League. He is also the second highest scorer in the history of the Portuguese league with 132 goals.
When he was younger, Nani wanted to be a tennis player but due to financial difficulties his parents had, he had to choose between sports. He chose football and ever since then he have been working hard to achieve his dreams.