Former Manchester United winger Nani had kind words for Erik ten Hag as he urged the Dutchman to end the club's wait for "the trophies we are missing so much".
The Red Devils' friendly at Melbourne Victory on Friday - which ended in a 4-1 win for the visitors - was a special one for Nani, as he signed for the Australian club just three days earlier. The former Portugal international, 35, came off the bench to make his non-competitive debut for Melbourne, playing the final two minutes.
Ahead of the match, there was a touching moment as Nani was presented with a 2022/23 United shirt bearing his name and the No. 17 - the same digits he had in the Old Trafford dressing room. He was a popular figure throughout his seven years with the club, during which he made 230 appearances and won seven major honours, including four Premier League titles and the Champions League.
Nani was moved by the reception he received at the colossal Melbourne Cricket Ground and outlined his hope that Ten Hag can bring the glory days back to his former club. "That was fantastic," Nani told MUTV of the resounding applause as he came off the bench. "What a great feeling. It's amazing when you can feel the warmth from the fans and it's nice when you come on a field and see some old teammates.
"All the good memories at Man United came into my head, makes me feel like I'm missing old times, but you need to look forward. I just want to wish all the success for the new coach, the new team, and I hope the club can get back on the position where they belong and start winning the trophies we are missing so much."
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While pre-season results must be taken with a pinch of salt, United have made a fine start to life under Ten Hag, suggesting their five-year trophy drought may not go on for too much longer. The Red Devils defeated Liverpool 4-0 on Tuesday before coming from behind to score four again against Melbourne.
The Old Trafford club have plenty more fixtures over the next few weeks to test their credentials, taking on Crystal Palace, Aston Villa, Atletico Madrid and Rayo Vallecano. The season proper then gets underway with a Premier League clash against Brighton on Sunday 7 August.
As for Nani, Melbourne are the seventh different club he has represented since he was a United player. He has also spent time with boyhood side Sporting, Fenerbahce, Valencia, Lazio, Orlando City and Venezia.
