Former Manchester United winger Luis Nani has urged young footballers to nurture their dreams and push beyond comfort and distraction if they hope to succeed in the sport.
Speaking after a special training session with 40 players from Liga Suparimau, Malaysia’s national grassroots football league, Nani reflected on his journey from hardship to the heights of professional football.
The session, held at Sayfol International School, was part of a joint initiative by Liga Suparimau and adidas to expose young talent to elite guidance and inspiration. Also present was ex-United defender Wes Brown.
Nani, now a Manchester United ambassador, told the young players: “As a kid, I didn’t have much. I was playing for a small club. People kept saying scouts would come, but they never did.”
Still, he never lost faith. His breakthrough came at the age of 16.
“In the last game of the season, I played very well. On the way home, a car stopped next to me and a friend. One of the directors gave us a piece of paper – Sporting Lisbon wanted to see us for a week. That changed everything.”
He urged players today not to take things for granted, saying they have far more resources and support than he ever did.
“Kids today have more, but they’re also more distracted – always on their iPads or phones. To grow, you need to step out of your comfort zone,” he said.
Nani and Brown are in Kuala Lumpur as part of Manchester United’s ambassadorial visit, ahead of tonight’s Maybank Challenge Cup match between United and the ASEAN All Stars at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil.
Nani, who won four Premier League titles and the Champions League during his time at Old Trafford, added: “At United, I was lucky to play with some greats. Wes was like a big brother to me. But it all started with a dream.”
This article originally appeared on Scoop.my and was written by Scoop journalist, Fabian Peter.