Manchester United winger Nani has revealed how hours of practice as a boy led to him being able to score with his left as well as right foot.
The Portugal international is now reaping the benefits of dedication to his craft. Six of his 10 goals this season have come from his left foot - a statistic he is proud of.
He said: "When I was very young I used to go to the local square where we played football and practice alone.
"Sometimes I would spend all afternoon there, practising with my right foot and then with my left foot.
"I'd practice curling the ball, hitting it hard. I always wanted to improve. Now I know that all my hard work has paid off.
"It doesn't matter to me which side I play on because I am confident of beating my opponent on either side and I can cross and shoot with both feet."
Nani has helped United win two titles and is anxious for a third with the club in the driving seat despite the defeat by reigning champions Chelsea.
Next up are Liverpool on Sunday and Nani told manutd.com: "We want to win the league every season. You don't get tired of winning trophies.
"When I went on my holidays last year, the first week I couldn't stop thinking about how we lost out in the league to Chelsea.
"Thankfully there was the World Cup so I had something else to look forward to. This year, there's no World Cup, so I know it could be a very long summer.
"I don't want that to happen. I want to be on holiday with a big smile because I've won at least one trophy."
