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Nani admits he did not think his assist for Wayne Rooney’s famous overhead kick was particularly special, though Manchester United supporters might strongly disagree.

Few moments in Manchester United’s history are as unforgettable as Rooney’s spectacular bicycle kick against Manchester City in 2011.

At that time, the Red Devils were leading the Premier League and found themselves level at 1-1 with their city rivals at Old Trafford as the match entered its final ten minutes. Then, in a flash of brilliance, the England striker produced a goal that seemed to defy physics.

“It defies description,” exclaimed commentator Martin Tyler as the ball rocketed into the back of the net. Many fans would still echo that sentiment today.

Nani, who had earlier opened the scoring before David Silva’s equaliser, found himself with space on the right flank after Pablo Zabaleta allowed him time to deliver a cross. He sent in an outswinging ball with only two teammates inside the penalty area.

Both Rooney and his marker Vincent Kompany instantly realised the ball was curling behind them. The Belgian defender lost his footing, while Rooney planted himself, launched his body backwards, and swung his right leg high over his head in an attempt to connect.

The ball struck his shin — a detail some critics have pointed out — but that hardly mattered. More than a decade and a half later, the strike is still celebrated as one of the Premier League’s greatest ever goals.

“It’s one of those goals that stays in people’s memories forever,” Nani said in an interview with FourFourTwo.

He added, “The technique was extraordinary. When I crossed the ball, I was aiming for him to head it. The cross wasn’t perfect; it was drifting backwards. Finishing that move was incredibly difficult, and I could never have imagined such a spectacular end to it.”

Such praise carries weight from a player who himself was once famously scolded by Sir Alex Ferguson for being too acrobatic in his goal celebrations during his Manchester United career.

The goal was always destined to feature in highlight reels of football’s most breathtaking moments, but the setting made it even more special. It was a late match-winner against one of United’s fiercest rivals, during a season that ultimately ended with the club lifting the Premier League trophy. If a filmmaker had scripted such a moment, it might have been dismissed as too unrealistic.

Reflecting on it, Nani concluded, “The still image from that instant is beautiful — unexpected, brilliant, and all the more meaningful because of the opponent.”