Nani, who won numerous titles with Manchester United in England and helped Portugal win the European Championship in 2016, is now 39 years old and still plays for Kazakhstani club Aktobe. Meanwhile, the winger has founded his own football academy, "Nani Football Academy," and plans to transition into coaching in the future.
The academy, located in Portugal, aims to develop young players born between 2010 and 2019. Nani and his team recently traveled to Brazil to participate in the Iberia Cup – a tournament that brings together club youth teams aged 7 to 14 and has produced notable players such as Brazilian international and Chelsea player Esteban, as well as Palmeiras' current youth academy star Eduardo Conceição.
During the tournament, Nani served as the coach of the 2013 age group team, which included his son Lucas. Lucas is following in his father's footsteps, having previously trained with Sporting Lisbon's youth academy.
"I've already obtained my coaching license, so I'm really enjoying spending time with the kids. As for what the future holds, only time will tell," the Portuguese legend said when discussing his future coaching career.
The 39-year-old striker also revealed that he has a team he supports in Brazil.
“My team? Corinthians,” he said.
Cheer for Cape Verde
Nani, whose parents immigrated to Portugal from Cape Verde, spoke about his connection to the African nation and his feelings about cheering on the Cape Verde national team's dark horse journey during the 2026 World Cup.
“That feeling was amazing. I have a very strong connection to Cape Verde; my roots are there. I know my parents came from there, I belong there, and I have family living there. It’s really great to see Cape Verde on such a high stage, participating in the World Cup and playing at such a high level. It was really hard to see them lose to Argentina, but seeing the national team go so far fills me with pride,” he said.
Cristiano's friend retired
Nani and Cristiano Ronaldo are longtime friends. They won the Champions League together while playing for Manchester United from 2007 to 2008, and also played side by side with the Portuguese national team for many years, winning the 2016 European Championship.
After Portugal's elimination from the 2026 World Cup, Cristiano Ronaldo announced his retirement from the national team, marking the end of his legendary international career. Nani posted on social media at the time to wish his friend well, clearly expressing his full support for his former teammate's decision.
“This is normal; we all knew this day would come sooner or later. He's nearing the end of his career, and now it's just a matter of when he makes his final decision. Until then, he should enjoy his last moments. His career has been perfect enough; he's an idol for all young people who love football, and indeed for everyone. We can only pay tribute to him,” Nani said.
The future of the Portuguese national team
As a former member of the national team that won the championship, Nani believes that, especially after Cristiano's retirement from the national team, the future of Portugal's next generation depends on the team as a whole, rather than just on one star player.
“We have many excellent players, and I think the secret right now is the team, relying on overall cooperation. Our squad is very balanced in every position, and if we want to play technically sound, possession-based football, I think that's the direction the team should take in the next few years.”
