Portugal's Nani on capoeira and Cristiano Ronaldo

Enjoying a new challenge in Turkey with Fenerbahçe, 29-year-old Portugal winger Nani talks to UEFA.com about his footballing upbringing and how Cristiano Ronaldo helped him settle in at Manchester United.

UEFA.com: As a boy, did you have other interests besides football?

Nani: If I was not playing football, I was doing capoeira [the Brazilian martial art] with my friends. Capoeira started to be one of my hobbies – I enjoyed it a lot when I started to learn some good movements, and in a short time I was one of the best in the group. But of course my dream of football always came first – so I had to choose football or capoeira. Even my friends were pushing me to football. It's like we say: 'God always has something planned for you', and my opportunity came when I went to train at Sporting.

UEFA.com: After making your name at Sporting, you moved to Manchester United in 2007. Did Cristiano Ronaldo help you settle in?

Nani: Yes, I lived in his house to begin with – me, Ronaldo and Anderson. That was very important for us, because we were so young and he 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 he 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.

UEFA.com: You started the 2007/08 UEFA Champions League final on the bench but came on and scored in the shoot-out win against Chelsea. What do you remember about that?

Nani: When you are on the bench you dream [about getting] on the pitch because it's a final – 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. It shows kids that they have to prepare for when they don't play, because in one day, in one game, in five minutes, your life can change.

UEFA.com: If you had missed your penalty, Chelsea would have won the trophy. Were your nerves jangling when you stepped up to take it?

Nani: I was bleeding from the head, because me and Ashley Cole had crashed into each other, but at that moment all the tension went away because I knew I had to score since Ronaldo had missed his. I took it with confidence, but Petr Čech went the right way and nearly saved it. When I saw the ball go in, it was a very good feeling.

Nani in action for the Yellow Canaries©AFP/Getty Images

UEFA.com: Your move to Fenerbahçe surprised a lot of people; what was your thinking behind that?

Nani: I knew Fenerbahçe are a big club here in Turkey with big ambitions, and I'm a player who has big ambitions too. I always want to win, I like being a champion, I like to win every game. I wanted to be in a team where I could continue to play good football and follow my dreams, and at Fenerbahçe I could do that, so that's why I came.