The miss saw United drop points in a 2-2 draw, but worse was to come for Nani after the game, when the train taking the squad back from London arrived at Macclesfield. Ferguson needed a lift from the station and, as Nani lived next to him, he was chosen to drive his fuming boss home – a 20-minute drive which proved to be an awkward experience. “That day he was so mad at me!” recalled Nani. “But he preferred to kill Giggs, because he had the ball and was the most experienced player on the field.

“But because I was playing so well and I won the penalty, I wanted to score it. Giggs saw that and said ‘yeah, take it’ – but then I missed! When we went to the dressing-room, Sir Alex was shouting at Giggs, saying ‘Why did you do that?’ and then said to me ‘Nani, you’ll never take penalties anymore’.

“Then, when we got off the train, we had to go home, and because Sir Alex was living next to me, someone said ‘Can anyone give a ride to the boss?’ and I said ‘I can, no problem’. “When we got in the car, we were not talking for one minute. I was waiting for him to say something to me but he didn’t.

“I’m still in contact with almost all of them,” said Nani. “We have a “It’s like we haven’t grown up! But that’s the beautiful thing. “Sporting and United are big clubs in Portugal and England.

I’m very proud to have won so many trophies, to have played with some of the best players in the world – so many stars. I played for so many great managers, I played for the national team and won a trophy with my country. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like.

*Who do you think is the best player of the Sir Alex Ferguson era? Share your thoughts in the comments below*