‘I asked my agent every day to leave Man Utd – being sold was the best day of my life’

Former Manchester United striker Bebe has confessed that his departure from Old Trafford was the highlight of his life. The Portuguese player, who was signed by Sir Alex Ferguson in 2010 from Vitoria for £7.2million, had a torrid time at the club.

Despite only having six professional games under his belt prior to his move, he managed just seven appearances and two goals for United – one against Wolves in the League Cup and another in a Champions League group stage match against Bursaspor. After a series of loan spells, Bebe finally left United in 2014 for Benfica, a moment he described as one of the best in his life.

Speaking to Goal in 2018, Bebe said: “It wasn’t that [I didn’t believe in myself], I just know what life is like and I think anyone would have the same thought as me,” and “Every day I called my agent to ask him to get me out. It was a bad time. When you do not play, even if you are at a great club, then you are not happy, so why continue?”

The 34-year-old has shared the emotional moment he heard of his life-changing transfer to Benfica after his United nightmare, saying: “I remember that I was going for a United game with the youth team, and my agent called me and told me I had been sold to Benfica. It was the best moment of my life.”

Reflecting on a journey marked by personal hardship, including abandonment by his parents and an upbringing in an orphanage, Bebe spoke about his time at Manchester United with gratitude: “I can’t regret something that has given me so much food, that changed my life and the life of my family. United gave me everything,” he affirmed. “That’s where everything started for me,” reports the Mirror.

The former winger expressed no qualms regarding his past choices, citing material gains and the chance to assist his family: “I could have a car, a house, I could buy things that I couldn’t have bought before. I could help my family and friends in things they couldn’t do… I do not regret anything. It was a very good decision from me and my agent.”

Bebe contemplates what might have been possible had he possessed his current mentality during his early years: “If I had the mentality then that I have today, I would definitely still be there. I would be in a team like that. But I had a different childhood from the others, and the attitudes and thoughts I had were different.”

Admitting his youthful outlook was less than beneficial, he nonetheless does not dwell on regrets: “That did not help me at all, not that I regret it. But now I would tell my younger self to train more, to be more concentrated, to be more professional.”

Almost 15 years on since his move to Old Trafford, Bebe enjoyed a six-year tenure at Rayo Vallecano before leaving the Spanish club earlier this year. Up next in Bebe’s footballing journey is a stint with Spanish outfit Racing de Ferrol for the 2024/25 campaign, with the club playing in the second division.