Luis Nani has Premier League and Champions League medals on his trophy cabinet.
But 83 minutes into a Big Blue clash in Sydney, the Portuguese icon celebrated a match winning assist like it was his maiden trophy.
One of the most famous footballing names to play in the Isuzu UTE A-League opened his doors to the A-Leagues All Access film crew to document his arrival at Melbourne Victory, resulting in an engaging debut episode of the ground-breaking series.
Once you watch, you’ll understand why that assist meant so much.
This is Luis Nani like you’ve never seen him before.
WATCH NOW – A-LEAGUES ALL ACCESS EPISODE 1: ‘YOU NEED TO SUFFER’
The makings of the A-Leagues All Access premiere
Luis Nani made his A-League Men debut in Round 1 at Allianz Stadium against Sydney FC, supplying that sublime assist to Chris Ikonomidis to seal a pulsating comeback Victory win.
His maiden outing is the centrepiece of the All Access premiere, which aired LIVE on Thursday night, at 7.30pm AEDT on Paramount+, 10 Play and KEEPUP.
Produced by KEEPUP Studios and JAMTV, each new episode of the series will debut on Thursday at 7:30pm AEDT on 10 Play, KEEPUP.COM.AU, the KEEPUP app and KEEPUP on YouTube. It will be available on Australia’s fastest growing streaming service, Paramount+, and will then be broadcast on 10 Bold at 2:00pm AEDT on Saturday afternoons as an appetiser for the evening’s Isuzu UTE A-League Men game on the same channel.
READ: A-LEAGUES ALL ACCESS BROADCAST ON PARAMOUNT ANZ WITH STELLAR LINE-UP OF STARS
The episode also told the tale of Nani’s off-season at his new club, why the former Manchester United and Portugal star elected to join Victory, and how he hopes to leave an impact not just on the field, but a legacy off of it whilst plying his trade in the A-League Men.
“I grew up in a place where we used to be outside in the streets,” Nani told A-Leagues All Access.
“(We would spend) all day playing games, enjoying ourselves with anything on a street… even if we don’t have a ball, we would play football (without) a ball.
“We had moments as well in our life (where) we didn’t have the possibility to have food, or nice clothes, stuff to go to the school. But I think in that moment, we were tough kids and we were always looking for something… and for me, that was football. And I involved myself in football. I took it very seriously and with a lot of passion.
Wherever I go, what I do is all about my past and how I grow up as a person, making me strong. What made me get through all the difficulties and to achieve all the goals and to arrive wherever I am, it’s all about my best.
The All Access trailer, released prior to Thursday’s premiere, began with Nani’s arrival at Allianz Stadium, with an impressed look cast over his face as he stepped out onto the turf of the brand-new venue for the first time.
In the Victory change rooms, his demeanour changed. It was one of intense focus in the build-up to kick-off, with his wide eyes and hand gestures adding to the instructions fed to fellow attackers Nick D’Agostino, Jake Brimmer and Ben Folami.
He’s a player who shared a change room with Cristiano Ronaldo for both club and country over many years. He’s experienced professionalism at the pinnacle of the game – and anywhere he goes, he expects that professionalism to follow.
“…I chose (to) take on this way: work hard and always try to improve your qualities, and then it sticks to you,” Nani said.
“Once you choose the one way to (be a) professional and be yourself during your career, you will stick with that forever. And that’s why I always talk in the same way be very professional, working very hard and keep the focussed mentality and we try to be consistent on your routines because that helped a lot to be the same athlete (I) used to be.”
The crowning moment of Nani’s A-League Men debut came via his second-half assist. The Portuguese signalled in the aftermath of the game he wasn’t satisfied with the consistency of his performance, hinting that was to come in time. (Link to article)
But for one moment he showcased all of his brilliance.
Marked by Sydney full-back Diego Caballo, Nani saw Stefan Nigro advance with the ball down the right flank, and feinted to move toward the touchline to receive the ball out wide. It was a ploy to lure Caballo out of position, opening the gap between the left back and left-sided centre back.
Nigro pierced the space with a sublime pass and Nani leapt onto the attack, skimming the ball across the six-yard box for Ikonomidis to score.
The All Access cameras captured Nani in the moments that followed. Rain beating down on his shoulders, he looked to the heavens and pumped two strong fists into the air.
The hope for Australian football is for the ready-made stars of today – the likes of Brimmer, D’Agostino, Ikonomidis and Folami – to see his level of commitment and raise their own standards as a result.
The next hope is that younger players in and around the club are watching on, too, and taking notes.
“I cannot teach (anybody) to play the game because they will have their own talent,” Nani said. “But you can teach the experience of the game, experience of life.
“During all of this they will get more mature and they will learn a lot. And the only way is learning with the ones who have been there before. So the best advice is from the most experienced players. And I think at this moment, I can be one of them.
“If any of the kids needs help, we’ll be all available because it’s something I enjoy and to share all what I’ve been experiencing in the past. I actually have a lot of funny stories and I might tell them the stories (that) happened to me and they laugh.
“(It) makes me feel good as well, and makes me feel important. Makes me feel like I’m sharing something good to the others because that happened to me as well before.
“I’ve been playing with so many big players in the past, and when I was so young, they used to like to have me close to them because I wanted to know. I wanted to be part of it.”
Nani added: “And the players, the big players in that time, they liked to see that attitude and the personality. That’s why they took to me. They (taught) me and gave me good advice.”