Five things we learned from Nani’s UTD Podcast

HE WASN’T ALWAYS A SPORTING FAN

Of course, we signed the future Euro 2016 winner from Sporting Lisbon in 2007, and Nani has since returned to the Portuguese giants twice, first on loan for the 2014/15 season and then during 2017/18, when he captained the side and played with our current Portuguese magnifico Bruno Fernandes. But, whisper it quietly, Nani had brief dalliances with the country’s other two superclubs when he was a child.

“When I was a baby, they say, and I pretend it’s not true, my brother and my father they say it was Benfica [who I supported]. I say that is not true, because the Sporting fans they cannot hear that.

“My brother is a fanatical Porto fan. He convinced me one time in my life to be a Porto supporter, because Porto was winning every season. I remember, one day, Porto won the league and there were six guys, my brother was there, and they were singing, running up and down and saying Porto are champions and Benfica are horrible. My brother said, “Come on and sing Porto is the best. Look, everyone is happy! Come on! Porto is the best, come on, come on!” And I look at him and I say okay. I start singing with them. After I grew up and I had the opportunity to join the juniors of Sporting and, from there, I had my passion for Sporting.”