Nani reveals Ronaldo debt

Former Manchester United midfielder Nani said Portuguese countryman Cristiano Ronaldo played a key role in helping him settle into life in England.

The 29-year-old, who is now playing in Turkey for Fenerbahce, joined United from Sporting Lisbon for a fee of around €25million in July 2007.

And Ronaldo, who had already been at the club for four years, welcomed the new recruit into the house he shared with another big-money, Portuguese-speaking import – Anderson.

“I lived in his house to begin with – me, Ronaldo and Anderson,” said Nani.

“That was very important for us, because we were so young and he [Ronaldo] had all the experience. 

“He knew how to deal with everything [in England]; the streets, the cameras, the driving rules, because it’s so different in England compared with Portugal.

“He helped a lot and gave me a lot of advice in training.

“He was very important and I was so happy about that; to have a team-mate from my own country who gave us that little bit of help to make us that little bit more confident.”

Nani went onto make nearly 150 league appearances during his stint at Old Trafford and regards his successful penalty in the 2008 Champions League final shoot-out victory over Chelsea as one of the major highlights.

“When you are on the bench you dream [about getting] on the pitch because it’s a final,” he said. “It’s the biggest moment.

“And then I had this opportunity.

“I came on in extra time and then scored a penalty and I’m so happy to know I was part of that success and that story of a big club.

“It was a great experience.”