Emotional Nani’s confession: Ronaldo defended me as kids and changed my World

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

Former Manchester United and Portugal winger Nani has spoken warmly about the profound influence Cristiano Ronaldo had on his career, revealing how the five-time Ballon d’Or winner defended him as a teenager during Sporting CP trials and later welcomed him like a brother at Old Trafford.

In a reflective interview, Nani recalled their first meeting in Sporting’s youth system: “He defended me when we were kids during the Sporting trials — I’ll never forget that.”

Nani, who joined Sporting’s academy as a teenager, described how Ronaldo, already a standout prospect, looked out for him during those formative years.

The bond deepened when Nani arrived at Manchester United in 2007, four years after Ronaldo had joined in 2003.

“When I arrived at Manchester United, Cristiano was already there. New country, new life… he made everything easier,” Nani said.

“He welcomed me like a brother. We lived together, everything was a competition. That was his mentality, always pushing to be better.”

The two Portuguese attackers shared a house during Nani’s early months in England, where their intense competitiveness fueled daily improvement.

Nani credited Ronaldo’s leadership and relentless drive for helping him adapt to the Premier League’s physical and tactical demands.

Both players rose through Sporting CP’s academy and later represented Portugal together at multiple major tournaments, winning the UEFA Nations League in 2019.

Nani made 147 appearances for Manchester United (2007–2015), scoring 40 goals, while Ronaldo became one of the club’s greatest ever players before his record-breaking move to Real Madrid in 2009.

Nani’s comments highlight the lesser-known personal side of Ronaldo’s early leadership qualities and the strong fraternal bond that exists within Portugal’s golden generation of footballers.

The tribute comes at a time when Ronaldo continues his record-breaking career with Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia, while Nani has transitioned into retirement and occasional punditry roles.