Nani should have been better than Ronaldo, but he didn’t fulfil his potential

Perhaps every season a whole host of promising young footballers come into the wider footballing consciousness and are predicted to have stellar careers. However, few manage to live up to these expectations. One of those less successful footballers who have failed to fulfil their potential is the Portuguese winger known as Nani.

The next Cristiano?

Luís Carlos Almeida de Cunha, as Nani’s full name is, learned football at Sporting Lisbon, where he transferred when he was 16 from local Real Massamá. After two years in the youth categories, he was transferred to the senior one to prove his talent among the adults. It should be noted that although he had undeniable footballing talent, proving it in competition with Cristiano Ronaldo in his position was more than difficult.

Start at Old Trafford

But as if it was any indication, the Cape Verde native followed in Ronaldo’s footsteps after two years and in the summer of 2007, his transfer to Manchester United took place. Nani, although he had a slight difficulty with his English, played virtually out of his element from the start of his involvement with the Red Devils and although he didn’t have such dazzling numbers at first, he was still a young player with whom the fans and the club had plenty of patience.

In his second season in the British Isles and due to injury, he only played thirteen league games in which he managed to contribute to five goals (1+4). After Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure to Real Madrid in the summer of 2009, the speedy winger was given much more responsibility on his shoulders and was expected to grace his performances with goals and assists more often.

The main star?

That’s essentially what happened. The first year without the departed Ronaldo wasn’t yet that groundbreaking for Nani’s stats, but the second one certainly was. In 33 Premier League games, he racked up 9 goals and 19 assists, which just goes to show how important he has become to Sir Alex Ferguson in his time. And that was true the following season as well. It’s just that apart from the two aforementioned seasons in the English top flight, it hasn’t been all that great around and around since Nani was in England.

For one thing, it has to be said that Potugalac was clearly one of the more fragile players, and this was particularly noticeable in the following two seasons (12/13, 13/14), when he only managed to play 22 games in the league in both seasons. Another difficulty for the skilful right-hander, quite possibly related, was his ability, or more accurately inability, to deliver consistent performances. This was mentioned by his former teammate Rio Ferdinand, for example, and he was not alone.

It was for this reason that the Old Trafford club’s management decided to send the then 27-year-old back to Sporting Lisbon on loan. His numbers went up in the famous green and white colours, especially when he was able to shine in the Champions League, but even that didn’t prompt the Red Devils’ directive to keep him in the squad for the 15/16 season.

Travelling around Europe

And so began Nani’s travels to various European stints. The first was Turkey’s Fenerbahce, then Spain’s Valencia, Italy’s Lazio Rome and the well-known Sporting Lisbon again. Each time, he moved after his first season at a particular club, which in itself says something about his or a particular club’s satisfaction with his services. For three years, the once bright talent then left to spread his footballing joy in the American MLS, more precisely at Orlando City, where he was understandably still a megastar.

In the summer of this year, he signed as a free agent again for a Serie A team, but this time he went to Venice, where he has played ten league games so far.

A wasted talent

Looking back on his career, the now thirty-five-year-old Portuguese chic will have nothing to be ashamed of in terms of team success. Not every player has four Premier League titles, the same number of English Super Cups, Champions League wins or EURO 2016 victories to his name, but on an individual level, summarily, more was expected of him.

Portugal were expected to essentially have Cristiano Ronaldo twice. That didn’t happen, and although he managed to put on a dehbering spectacle when he had the day, he wasn’t a hundred to put it on as often as his coaches, or club owners as the case may be, imagined.

Source: Transfermarkt, SportMob