In many ways, Nani has come a long way this year, from sort of being left in the shadows when Cristiano Ronaldo was playing at Manchester United and not playing with confidence, to now scoring goals and whipping in crosses so others can score. What does he pinpoint all of his success to? Practice. Training on his own. Putting the work in.
Manchester United winger Nani has revealed how hours of practice as a boy led to him being able to score with his left as well as right foot.
The Portugal international is now reaping the benefits of dedication to his craft. Six of his 10 goals this season have come from his left foot – a statistic he is proud of.
He said: “When I was very young I used to go to the local square where we played football and practice alone.
“Sometimes I would spend all afternoon there, practicing with my right foot and then with my left foot.
“I’d practice curling the ball, hitting it hard. I always wanted to improve. Now I know that all my hard work has paid off.
“It doesn’t matter to me which side I play on because I am confident of beating my opponent on either side and I can cross and shoot with both feet.”
This is something everyone can do. This is something you control. If you want to get better than work at the game of soccer. Spend time with the soccer ball on your own and master it. Play with players who are better than you. Play with players with more experience. Seek out and learn from former soccer pros if you can.
Take a look at some of the goals Nani has scored for Manchester United in the video below.
