Sport
“I’m Going to Hang Up My Boots” – Nani Announces Retirement After 19-Year Football Career
Former Manchester United winger Nani has officially announced his retirement from professional football at the age of 38.
The Portuguese star, who made a significant mark on the game over a career spanning nearly two decades, revealed the news on Sunday.
Nani, who was signed by Sir Alex Ferguson in 2007 from Sporting CP, spent a memorable part of his career at Manchester United.
His arrival was seen as part of Ferguson’s long-term vision to strengthen the squad, and during his time at Old Trafford, Nani became an essential figure.
He helped United secure several major trophies, including four Premier League titles and a UEFA Champions League trophy in 2008.
In 2015, after eight years at Manchester United, Nani left to join Turkish side Fenerbahçe on a permanent deal, marking the start of a new chapter in his career.
He would go on to play for several more clubs across different leagues, including Valencia, Lazio, and a recent stint at Estrela Amadora, which he joined in early 2024.
Throughout his 19-year career, Nani played for a total of 10 clubs, scoring 130 goals in over 620 appearances.
While his club career brought him much success, he also made an impact on the international stage, earning over 100 caps for Portugal and winning the European Championship in 2016.
In his retirement statement, Nani reflected on his remarkable journey: “As everyone knows, everything comes to an end,” he said.
“I’ve taken the time to make a very important decision, perhaps the most important of my professional life, which is the decision to stop playing as a professional player.
I’m going to, as they say, hang up my boots. But I do so with a sense of duty fulfilled.”
He added, “I believe it was a beautiful career, filled with many achievements.”
Former footballer Thierry Henry has shared his thoughts on Arsenal’s match following their loss to Atlético Madrid on October 13.
Speaking during a brief interview on CBS Sports, Henry criticised the practice of players or coaches expressing certain opinions through the media instead of addressing issues directly within the dressing room.
“I’m not a coach anymore, but I always say, whoever speaks like that, out. Keep that in the dressing room, it’s as simple as that,” Henry said on CBS Sports.
“That is the only way it can work. You have to say those things to a person’s face… going through the press, I am not really a fan of that.”
Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique has shared his thoughts on the 2026 Ballon d’Or award, revealing that he hopes the winner will come from his team.
The manager spoke about how hard his players have worked and expressed his belief that they deserve the recognition.
“What I hope is that we win this trophy. We have players who deserve it.”
“Last year, we were the best team. We showed that it wasn’t just Ousmane Dembélé who deserved it.”
French football pundit Walid Acherchour has named Lamine Yamal as his pick to win the 2026 Ballon d’Or, sparking reactions among football fans.
Acherchour’s choice came as a surprise to some fans, who expected him to support fellow Frenchman Kylian Mbappé instead.
Speaking about his prediction, Acherchour expressed confidence in Yamal’s chances of winning the prestigious individual award.
“For me, Lamine Yamal, he is going to get it [2026 Ballon d’Or]. For me, there’s no doubt anymore,” Acherchour said, as quoted by Actu Foot. That start to the season shows that in fact, he was injured during the World Cup. He was the best player in La Liga, and he won the World Cup.
“Even if, for me, in fact, he doesn’t have the Ballon d’Or unanimously because his World Cup was average, even being average, he won it with Spain. He won La Liga with Barça.”
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