Nani hints at Sporting return: I won’t say no | OneFootball

Nani announced the end of his professional football career about a year ago, and since then, the Sporting academy player has remained connected to the sport. Now, when asked about a possible official return to the pitch, even if with a lower-league team, the Portuguese international did not rule out the possibility.

“Who knows? I was born for football and football was born for me. Wherever there’s a ball, there’s a game. It doesn’t matter if it’s a lower league or not. What matters is what we’re going to bring and what we’re going to do. I play in some tournaments, there’s one every year in the United States that is very fun and competitive. There’s a tournament here in Portugal and we’re trying to improve it, so we can have a good environment for everyone, with former players, famous people, where we can keep playing sports and having fun. I’ll always be connected to the game. But, answering the question, it’s possible. I’m not saying no,” he began, speaking at the SBC Summit.

Next, Nani went on to comment on his return to Alvalade, where he took part in the Legends Charity Game: “It was really good, it was fun. We had moments of great camaraderie and good football as well. For me, it was also an opportunity to share the field with some idols from my childhood. Some of those who were there were my inspiration and my motivation for football, they made me fall in love with football here in Portugal and it was really good. Being able to share some moments with them, laugh, talk, exchange some ideas, it’s wonderful. Figo, for example. As everyone knows, I’ve always said Figo was an idol. And after meeting him in person and realizing he’s a spectacular person, very funny, always laughing, always joking around, it’s really great, it’s really great.”

“The game will never leave me. As long as I stay in shape and have the conditions, I’ll want to play matches and as many games as come up. After so many years playing under a lot of pressure, a lot of stress, focus and dedication, now we’re kids again, right? When we were kids and played without pressure, it was just about playing and having fun. Now it’s the same thing. That’s why I accept these games, with the intention of having fun, relaxing a bit, and doing what I love most,” he added.

Finally, Nani spoke about the work he has been doing with young people at his new academy, whose “idea is to try to ensure they get the most out of the academy and can develop their technical and psychological skills. We give opportunities for them to meet other children, to be in a world where they can also have a lot of fun. That’s our goal, to give them the chance to interact with me as well, since I have a lot of experience in the professional football world. Many of them want to share some moments, ask some questions, and I do my part, sometimes with some funny answers, and they get motivated and inspired for training and for games.”

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.