Portrait of Nani (footballer)

Birthday profile

Nani (footballer)

Nani, Portuguese footballer

Born
November 17, 1986
Age in 2026
40
Zodiac sign
Scorpio
Birth year
1986

About Nani (footballer)

Luís Carlos Almeida da Cunha (pronounced [luˈiʃ ˈkaɾluʃ alˈmɐjdɐ dɐ ˈkuɲɐ]) (born 17 November 1986), commonly known as Nani (Portuguese pronunciation: [naˈni]), is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a winger for Kazakhstan Premier League club Aktobe. He is known for his pace, flair and work ethic. Nani began his career with Sporting CP, joining the youth team in 2003 before making his first-team debut in 2005. During his two-year tenure in Portugal he won the Portuguese Cup. Before the 2007–08 season, Nani's performances attracted the attention of English club Manchester United, who secured his services in July 2007. He gained first-team status almost immediately and won four Premier League titles, two League Cups, three FA Community Shields, the FIFA Club World Cup and the UEFA Champions League with them. In the 2010–11 season, he contributed to his club's Premier League title win with 17 assists, the most in the season. Following a loan back to Sporting, in which he won a second Portuguese Cup, Nani was signed by Turkish side Fenerbahçe in 2015, and a year later he signed for Valencia in Spain. He rejoined Sporting in 2018, winning a third Portuguese Cup as well as the Portuguese League Cup for the first time, before moving to Major League Soccer side Orlando City, whom he captained for three seasons before leaving at the end of 2021. In January 2022, Nani moved to Venezia in Italy. Following brief stints in Australia, Turkey, and another return to Portugal, Nani announced his retirement from football in December 2024. In January 2026, he came out of retirement to sign for Kazakh side Aktobe. Nani made his Portugal international debut in 2006, scoring his first goal soon after and establishing himself as a key member of the side. He represented his country at three European Championships, in 2008, 2012 and 2016, and in the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Nani started in the final of Euro 2016, and after Cristiano Ronaldo got injured, captained the team to victory. He made 112 appearances and scored 24 goals for his country in total.

Biography source: Wikipedia. The profile adds birthday-specific historical context from the Celebs Birthday Today editorial database.

Nani (footballer) timeline

  1. Nani began his career with Sporting CP, joining the youth team in 2003 before making his first-team debut in 2005.
  2. Following a loan back to Sporting, in which he won a second Portuguese Cup, Nani was signed by Turkish side Fenerbahçe in 2015, and a year later he signed for Valencia in Spain.

The world when Nani (footballer) was born

Nani (footballer) was born in 1986. The year snapshot below places that birthday in its cultural and historical setting: the music and films people were following, the headlines shaping public life, and the everyday prices families encountered.

Culture in 1986

  • #1 song"That's What Friends Are For" – Dionne Warwick & Friends
  • Top moviePlatoon
  • Top TV showThe Cosby Show
  • Best-selling bookIt – Stephen King

Headlines and milestones

  • Major sports momentMaradona's "Hand of God" goal at the World Cup
  • Top headlineSpace Shuttle Challenger disaster
  • Technology milestoneChernobyl nuclear disaster in Soviet Ukraine
  • Defining fadTop Gun aviator sunglasses
  • Notable inventionDisposable camera
  • World population4.94 billion

United States snapshot

  • U.S. leaderRonald Reagan
  • Sports championNew York Mets (World Series)
  • Also wonBoston Celtics (NBA)
  • U.S. population240.1M

1986 versus 2026

These figures put everyday life in Nani (footballer)'s birth year beside the site's latest United States snapshot.

Measure19862026
Gas$0.93$3.45/gal
Average home$80,300$435,000
Average income$29,458$67,500
Minimum wage$3.35$7.25/hr (federal)
Movie ticket$3.71$11.95
Postage stamp$0.22$0.73
Population240.1M341 million

Sources and editorial standards

This profile combines a biographical source with structured birthday and historical context. Sources recorded for this profile: Wikipedia, UEFA, Major League Soccer. See our editorial policy for sourcing, corrections, and review standards.

Read the source biography on Wikipedia. Wikipedia text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.