Ambitious Nani aiming high

Nani: “I want to be one of the best players in the world”

Up and coming Portugal star Nani says he is delighted with his start to life at Old Trafford and makes no effort to hide his burning ambition to start collecting silverware, both at club and international level.

In an interview given to Portuguese daily A Bola, the Manchester United winger revealed that he is targeting the Premiership, Champions League and Euro 2008 titles in the coming year.

- What has it been like in this brand new world?
“I’m very happy. I’m enjoying the new experience, things have gone well. I think it was impossible to have gone any better.”

- Your integration has been rapid; do you think even a bit too fast?
“A lot of people didn’t expect things to go well for me so quickly, but I’ve worked hard to make this happen. I feel really comfortable, as if I was at home, I get on well with my team-mates and the socialising is so good that it seems I’ve been at the club more time than I have.”

- Were you surprised when Manchester United came for you?
“To be honest I thought something might happen. I knew several clubs were watching me and this could be my year, although when Manchester United made the offer I confess it was a surprise."

- When you arrived at Old Trafford did you think you would play so regularly?
“When I arrived my thinking was this: I’m going to work as hard as possible so that when I’m called upon I’ll be at my best possible level. At the start it was difficult, because this squad is really strong, but because of some injuries I got my chance early. The truth is I did well and this left me extremely satisfied.”

- What are the major differences between the English and Portuguese League?
“It’s very different, everything is at the very highest level. I enjoyed my two years at Sporting but to develop I couldn’t have chosen better. Here there are no easy games when you know the winner beforehand, as happens with some matches in Portugal. In England every game is a final.”

- Have you already thought about the possibility of being champions?
“I think a lot about the possibility of winning the championship and also the Champions League. If I manage that in my first year I’d be delighted. United have the team to achieve these objectives. I know it’s difficult, but we are working to achieve it.”

- Could you make the same impact as Cristiano Ronaldo?
“I don’t like comparisons, or that they say that Nani is going to be like Cristiano Ronaldo. I think I’ve got the ability to reach a very high level, but I want to be known as Nani, one of the best players in the world.”

- What significance do Sporting hold for you?
“It was there that I started as a professional and I will never forget Sporting. I have a great love for the club and I’ve got great friends there. I have to thank especially Paulo Bento for all he did for me. But now I have to fight for Manchester.”

- What are Portugal’s chances at Euro 2008?
“It was fantastic to qualify, the squad was really happy, the atmosphere was great. Despite not playing great football we managed what was most important and that was to qualify.

“As for the future, given the quality and quantity of players we have, we’ve got every chance of enjoying a great Euro and being champions.”

(Translated and abridged version of interview with José Manuel Freitas published in A Bola on 24 November 2007)