“GIGGS ASKED FERGIE TO BRING ME On FOR THE PENALTY SHOOTOUT In MOSCOW – I JUST THOUGHT, ‘ OH F** K!’”
Now retired in his early- 30s, the midfielder helped Manchester United secure European glory before escaping death in a car crash
You were crowned player of the tournament at the 2005 Under- 17 World Cup and highly rated as a teenager. Did that bring pressure?
I always had pressure, ever since I left home to play football aged 13, with clothes in a bin bag. Thank God I had a good head and was focused on becoming a footballer. That was what I did best, because I wasn’t exactly good at school. Winning the Golden Ball in 2005 was a dream come true, but it was all down to our talented team including Marcelo, Renato Augusto and Denilson, who later signed for Arsenal. It was a great generation.
How did your move to Manchester United in 2007 come about?
I’d been playing really well for Porto, and was at a mate’s house one day when Jorge Mendes phoned. He said, “Come over to my house now. David Gill and Carlos Queiroz are both here and want to speak to you.” I didn’t believe him and said, “Stop joking with me, Jorge.” But he was being serious. I went to his place and my move to Manchester United was agreed.
Who were your closest pals at Old Trafford?
The squad welcomed me in a brilliant way and I got on with everyone. We still keep in touch through a Whatsapp group: Patrice Evra, Wes Brown, John O’shea, Darren Fletcher, Michael Carrick, Rio Ferdinand, Danny Welbeck, Park Ji- sung, Chicharito… But I have to say Cristiano Ronaldo was key for me to settle in, and I lived with him for about a year. Nani and I have him to thank for the rest of our lives. Carlos Queiroz played a huge part, too.
What are your best memories with Ronaldo?
He means a lot to me because of the person he is, not because of the player he became – although he’s by far the best in the world. My mates often ask what he’s like and I say, “He’s out of this world, a genius.” He’s a machine – I used to get tired just watching him training!
How important was Alex Ferguson to you?
I’m forever in love with him – he’s my idol and I was privileged to work with one of the best guys I’ve ever met. For me, he is God on Earth. He taught me the importance of listening and understanding the right moments to play. He might say, “You’re not playing today, but in the next match you’re going to win it for us.” We had plenty of great players, but he knew how to rotate the squad and keep everyone happy.
Did he say anything that’s stuck with you?
On one of his last days at the club, he said something that I’ll carry with me forever. I arrived at Carrington and he called me into his office. He said, “Thank you for everything we’ve lived together at this club, but my time has come.” To hear that from a guy I love? Wow! I messaged him when he had health issues a while ago, and was happy to see him return even stronger.
I visited the boys a few months back, too. I had a very nice time with the lads, and I’ll always be grateful for everything I did at such a wonderful club.
Were you brought on in the 2008 Champions League Final against Chelsea solely to take a penalty in the shootout?
Ryan Giggs ran over to Ferguson in extra time and said, “Bring Anderson on. He’s a very good penalty taker.” I was only 20 and thought, ‘ Oh f** k!’ That was huge pressure. Imagine being remembered as the guy who missed a penalty in the Champions League final for the biggest club in the world? I warmed up, came on and the referee blew his whistle. I didn’t touch the ball once. The walk to take my penalty was the longest of my life. A lot of things came into my mind – all the struggles I’d had, and I thought about my family and friends. Then I got to the penalty spot and, f** k, Petr Cech was massive. I closed my eyes and hit the ball as powerfully as I could. It just went past Cech’s right hand.
Were you gutted to be taken off at half- time in the 2009 Champions League Final?
It was the best decision Ferguson could have made, as we were 1- 0 down to Barcelona and had to attack. The best way to do that was to replace a defensive midfielder with a forward, Carlos Tevez. The main objective was to win as a group, so I had no problem accepting that.
What do you remember about the 8- 2 rout of Arsenal in August 2011?
Despite the squad rotation, I played in most of the matches against Arsenal – and we nearly always won! Everything went right for us, but we celebrated in our dressing room and didn’t take the piss out of anyone, because we knew we could be in their shoes one day.
Quite. Just two months later, you lost 6- 1 at home to Manchester City – how did you feel?
We responded well, as we knew how good our players were. The proof is that we finished the season on the same points as City, only losing the title on goal difference.
In 2010, you were in a serious car crash and pulled from the burning wreckage before it exploded. How did that affect you?
A friend was driving, and he hit a rock on a trip in Portugal. He thought he could do a specific turn, but that wasn’t possible. My first kid was on the way, so it really altered the perspective I have on life. You never expect something like that will happen to you, until it does.
You retired last year, aged only 31. Why?
I’m not comfortable talking about it. I came to that decision because I felt I’d done enough in football, although I had two years left on my contract with Adana Demirspor in Turkey. My life was great, but I just thought the right time had arrived. I didn’t want to keep playing for the sake of earning money. I’m happy with my farm and other businesses at the moment, and don’t fancy getting involved with football again yet. My next plan is probably to head to Africa and help as many people as possible.