Bruno Fernandes

Early life

Fernandes was born in Maia, Metropolitan Area of Porto. Growing up, he supported Boavista and Manchester United. During his childhood, Fernandes used to play football on the streets with his older brother Ricardo, who was also a professional football player. His father, who had emigrated to Switzerland, wanted Fernandes to move with him, but he refused, due to the standard of Swiss football at the time.

Club career

Early career

Fernandes began his youth career at local club Infesta. Growing up, Fernandes was offered a youth contract at Porto's academy, but he went to local rivals Boavista, who offered him transportation to training, with his parents being unable to take him to Porto on a daily basis. Fernandes played most of his youth football with Boavista, starting his career as a centre-back, before being converted to an attacking midfielder at the age of 15, following a loan to Pasteleira.

Spell in Italy

On 27 August 2012, he joined Novara in Italy. Fernandes initially struggled in his new life in Italy, after suffering from homesickness and also had problems learning Italian. After his girlfriend moved to Italy, Fernandes quickly learned the language and began settling in the country, being nicknamed the "Maradona of Novara" and the "Mini Rui Costa". After only a few weeks with the youth sides, Fernandes was promoted to the first team in Serie B, and went on to appear in slightly more than half of the league games during the 2012–13 season, helping his team to fifth place and the promotion play-offs.

In summer 2013, Serie A clubs Inter Milan and Juventus wanted to sign him, but instead, Fernandes decided to sign for Udinese in a co-ownership deal, which promised him first-team opportunities. He made his debut in Serie A on 3 November, coming on as a second-half substitute in a 0–3 home loss against Inter Milan. Fernandes scored his first league goal on 7 December, in a 3–3 draw at Napoli. He scored again in the second match between the sides, a 1–1 draw.

On 16 August 2016, Fernandes moved to Sampdoria on loan with an obligation to be signed permanently. He made his league debut twelve days later, playing six minutes in a 2–1 home win over Atalanta. Fernandes scored his first goal for his new team on 26 September, in a 1–2 away loss to Cagliari. He scored five goals in 33 Serie A appearances during the campaign, helping them to finish in tenth position.

Sporting CP

On 27 June 2017, after returning from the UEFA European Under-21 Championship, Fernandes joined Sporting CP on a five-year deal, for a reported fee of €8.5 million plus bonuses. On 6 August, Fernandes made his debut for the club in a 2–0 home victory against Desportivo das Aves. He scored four goals in his first five Primeira Liga games, including a brace in a 5–0 away win against Vitória de Guimarães. Fernandes' first appearance in the UEFA Champions League group stage was on 12 September, where he put the visitors 3–0 ahead in the 43rd minute of an eventual 3–2 win at Olympiacos. He finished his first season with 16 goals across all competitions, second only to Bas Dost and provided 20 assists, being named in the Primeira Liga Team of the Year and Primeira Liga Player of the Year.

On 15 May 2018, Fernandes and several of his teammates, including coaches, were injured following an attack by around 50 Sporting supporters at the club's training ground after the team finished third in the league and missed out on Champions League qualification. Despite the events, the team agreed to play in the final of the Taça de Portugal scheduled for the following weekend, eventually losing to Desportivo das Aves. Fernandes was named the Primeira Liga Player of the Year on 6 July. Four days later he signed a new five-year contract with a €100 million release clause, having turned back on his original decision to leave the Estádio José Alvalade following the departure of club president Bruno de Carvalho, and being given an improved salary in the process.

Fernandes scored his 23rd competitive goal of the 2018–19 campaign during a 3–1 home win against Portimonense on 3 March 2019, through a late penalty, surpassing António Oliveira's club record for goals by a midfielder in a season, set in 1981–82. On 5 May, he scored a hat-trick in an 8–1 away rout of Belenenses SAD, in the process becoming the highest-scoring Portuguese midfielder in a single season of all time, with 31 goals to his name. He scored his 33rd and final goal of the season on 25 May 2019, during Sporting's victory against Porto in the Taça de Portugal final. He was named Primeira Liga Player of the Year for the second successive year for his performances in the 2018–19 season.

He scored seven goals in his first 10 appearances of the 2019–20 season, including a run of scoring in six consecutive appearances. This made him the third Sporting player in the 21st century to score in six or more consecutive appearances for the club, after Mário Jardel and Bas Dost. On 28 November, he scored twice and assisted the other two goals in a 4–0 victory over PSV Eindhoven, which guaranteed Sporting qualification to the knockout stages of the UEFA Europa League.

Manchester United

On 29 January 2020, English club Manchester United confirmed they had reached an agreement with Sporting to sign Fernandes for a fee reportedly worth up to €80 million (£67.6 million), subject to him passing a medical and agreeing personal terms. The transfer was officially completed the following day, for an initial fee of around €55 million (£47 million), plus up to €25 million (£21 million) in add-ons and 10% of the profits of a future sale. Fernandes signed a five-and-a-half-year contract.

He made his debut on 1 February, playing the full 90 minutes of a goalless home draw to Wolverhampton Wanderers. In United's 2–0 away win over Chelsea on 17 February, he provided an assist for the second goal, a header from Harry Maguire. Fernandes came on as a late substitute against Club Brugge in a 1–1 draw on his European debut for the club. He scored his first United goal against Watford on 23 February, converting from the penalty spot in a 3–0 victory at Old Trafford, a match in which he also provided an assist for the third goal scored by Mason Greenwood. His first European goal for the club came in the second leg of their UEFA Europa League round of 32 tie against Club Brugge at Old Trafford, in which he scored a penalty, helping them to a 5–0 victory. On 16 March, Fernandes was voted as the Premier League Player of the Month for February.

On 30 June, Fernandes scored his first brace for the club in a 3–0 win over Brighton & Hove Albion. For his performances in June, he won multiple club and Premier League awards, including Premier League Player of the Month and Goal of the Month, becoming the first player to win both awards concurrently in Premier League history. He also became the first Manchester United player to win back to back Premier League Player of the Month awards since Cristiano Ronaldo in the 2006–07 season. In September, Fernandes was named as the winner of Manchester United's Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year award, given to the club's best player from the previous season.

On 26 September, Fernandes scored his first goal of the season against Brighton & Hove Albion in the 100th minute of a 3–2 win at the Amex Stadium; it was one of the latest goals in Premier League history, and came after referee Chris Kavanagh had blown the final whistle, before a video assistant referee awarded United a penalty which Fernandes converted. On 7 November, Fernandes scored a brace and provided an assist against Everton to secure a 3–1 away win. He was named Premier League Player of the Month for November in recognition of his four goals and one assist that month, and again in December after scoring three goals and providing four assists in that month, becoming the first player to win the award four times in a single calendar year. He scored one goal and made two assists in United's Premier League record-equalling 9–0 home win against Southampton on 2 February 2021. He finished third in terms of top goalscorers in the league with 18 goals and second among the top assist providers with 12.

International career

2012–2017: Youth level

With the Portugal under-20s, Fernandes participated in the 2014 Toulon Tournament. In this competition, he played four out, scoring against Chile in a group stage match, helping Portugal to a third-place finish.

Fernandes represented Portugal at under-19, under-20, under-21 and under-23 levels, for a total of 28 caps. Prior to his international debut, he was named captain of the under-21 team by coach Rui Jorge. He scored four goals and provided four assist in Portugal under-21s qualification campaign, helping them to qualify for the 2017 UEFA European Under-21 Championship. In June, Fernandes took part in the 2017 UEFA European Under-21 Championship, helping Portugal to a group stage finish, and scoring a goal against Serbia in the opening match.

Fernandes represented Portugal in the 2016 Summer Olympics. He started every game, as the team reached the quarter-finals.

2017–2018: Senior and World Cup debuts

Overlooked for selection by Portugal during his spell in Italy, Fernandes was first chosen on 28 August 2017, replacing the injured Pizzi for 2018 World Cup qualifiers against the Faroe Islands and Hungary to be played the next month, although he did not play in either match. Fernandes won his first full cap on 10 November 2017, replacing Manuel Fernandes for the last 34 minutes of the 3–0 friendly win over Saudi Arabia in Viseu.

He was then selected by Fernando Santos for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. He scored his first goal on 7 June with a header in the last warm-up match before the tournament, a 3–0 defeat of Algeria at the Estádio da Luz. Fernandes' first World Cup game took place on 15 June, when he played 66 minutes in a 3–3 group stage draw against Spain, being booked in the process. On 30 June, Portugal were eliminated following a 2–1 defeat to Uruguay in the last 16.

2018–Present: Nations League titles and tournament struggles

Fernandes was selected for three matches in the league phase of the 2018–19 UEFA Nations League group stage, helping the hosts Portugal qualify to the inaugural Nations League Finals in June 2019. In the UEFA Nations League Finals, Fernandes played both matches as Portugal defeated the Netherlands 1–0 in Porto to win the trophy. For his performances throughout the competition, he was named in the "Team of the Tournament".

Fernandes was named in Portugal's final squad for the delayed UEFA Euro 2020 tournament, appearing in all games of the eventual round of 16 exit to Belgium. Fernandes went on to be criticised for his performances during the tournament as he struggled to replicate his club form for Portugal. After being heavily fatigued and overshadowed by other teammates, he was dropped from the starting line-up for the final group stage match.

On 29 March 2022, Fernandes scored both goals in Portugal's 2–0 win over North Macedonia in the final of the World Cup qualification play-offs to ensure Portugal's qualification for the 2022 tournament in Qatar.

In October, he was named in Portugal's preliminary 55-man squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, being included in the final 26-man squad for the tournament. On 25 November, Fernandes provided two assists in Portugal's 3–2 group stage win against Ghana. Three days later, Fernandes scored both of Portugal's goals in a 2–0 victory over Uruguay, securing his team's qualification to the knockout stages. On 6 December, he provided an assist for Pepe, who scored Portugal's second goal in a thrashing 6–1 win in the round of 16 match against Switzerland and became the second-oldest player to ever score in the tournament. Portugal were eliminated in the quarter-finals after losing 1–0 to Morocco. Despite Portugal's elimination, Fernandes finished the tournament as the joint-top assister with three assists.

His World Cup form continued during the UEFA Euro 2024 qualifiers in March, providing two assists and a brace against Bosnia and Herzegovina in a 3–0 win on 17 June. On 8 September, on his 29th birthday, Fernandes scored the only goal of an away win over Slovakia. On 11 September, he scored a goal and provided a hat-trick of assists in a 9–0 home defeat of Luxembourg, the former's biggest win in international history. In the reverse fixture against Slovakia, on 13 November, Fernandes provided a brace of assists in a 3–2 win, leading Portugal to qualify for Euro 2024, marking the nation's fastest qualification to a major tournament in their history. Fernandes finished the qualifying campaign as the top assister with eight assists, with Portugal topping their qualifying group, and setting a new national team record of ten consecutive wins.

Player profile

Style of play

An attacking midfielder, Fernandes is a direct, energetic box-to-box playmaker who is capable of both taking on defenders and setting the rhythm of play. Directness also means that Fernandes tends to take a lot of risks with the type and level of passes he attempts to complete. However, despite being prone to turnovers, he typically presses the opposition right after losing possession. Fernandes boasts a prolific goalscoring record from the midfield position. He frequently shoots from outside the penalty area and is an accurate free-kick and penalty taker. His movement off the ball is also key, with him often roaming around the attacking areas of the pitch, or dropping deep to pick up possession. As well as operating in the attacking midfielder role, he can also operate in a deeper central midfield role, or as a second striker. During his time at Manchester United, under Erik ten Hag, Fernandes also played on the right wing on many occasions, due to his crossing ability, which made him an effective assist provider.

Reception and image

Regarding his creativity and goalscoring ability, since joining the Premier League in 2020, Fernandes has created more chances than any other player in the competition. In the 2025–26 season, he set a new Premier League record for the most assists in a single campaign with 21, surpassing the previous record of 20 assists jointly held by Thierry Henry in 2002–03 and Kevin De Bruyne in 2019–20, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola once said, "Bruno's influence is outstanding. Unbelievable. Today saw a few games, the last games and I said: 'this guy's creativity is one of the best I've ever seen'." In 2023, Manchester City and Belgian midfielder Kevin De Bruyne rated him as the best player in his position in Premier League commenting, "I think he's [Fernandes] a creative machine and just in general." former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand commented that Fernandes "is a player who knows how to create chances [...], who can for bit of imagination, creativity, the patience around the box, the ability to hit a ball from the edge of the box an put in the back of net, [...] manipulate and take ball". Ferdinand also praised his leadership abilities, stating "he was one of the players in the game that lead's by example". Former Manchester United coach Ole Gunnar Solskjær stated that Fernandes was a "bit of a mix between Paul Scholes and Juan Sebastián Verón". Fernandes goalscoring abilities have also drew comparisons with former Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard, after breaking his record of being the highest-scoring midfielder in Europe in a single season.

During his career, Fernandes has faced criticism for his on-field behaviour, particularly regarding his body language and emotional reactions. Pundits such as Gary Neville and Roy Keane have criticised his tendency to complain to referees, wave his arms in frustration, and visibly criticise teammates during matches. Neville has described his behaviour as "petulant" and suggested that such actions are unhelpful for a captain tasked with leading by example. Similarly, Keane has questioned Fernandes' leadership qualities, criticizing him for "moaning and whinging" when the team was struggling, arguing that a captain should display resilience and composure. Despite his significant contributions on the pitch, critics argue that his emotional outbursts and confrontational approach undermine his leadership and set a negative tone for the team.

Goal celebration

Fernandes has adopted a particular goalscoring celebration throughout his career: after scoring a goal, he usually celebrates by covering his ears with both of his hands, as a tribute to his daughter, who covers her ears pretending not to hear him.

Sponsorship

Fernandes is sponsored by sportswear company Nike. He wears Nike Mercurial Vapor boots.

Personal life

When Fernandes moved to Italy at age 18 to join Novara, he was joined there by childhood sweetheart Ana Pinho; they married in 2015. The couple have a daughter (January 2017) and a son (September 2020). He has tattoos on both of his arms with the number 8, in which he tributes to his birth date and to his father, who was also a footballer and wore the number 8 shirt, during his playing career, the letter F symbolising his surname and the number 23 as a tribute to his debut with the Portugal national football team, when he was aged 23.

Fernandes is multilingual; apart from his native Portuguese, he is fluent in Spanish, English, and Italian. He also speaks some French.

Fernandes also has a brother named Ricardo who plays in the ninth tier of English football for Roffey.

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 30 August 2026

International

As of match played 6 July 2026

As of match played 6 July 2026

Portugal score listed first, score column indicates score after each Fernandes goal.

Honours

Sporting CP

Taça de Portugal: 2018–19

Taça da Liga: 2017–18, 2018–19

Manchester United

FA Cup: 2023–24; runner-up: 2022–23

EFL Cup: 2022–23

UEFA Europa League runner-up: 2020–21, 2024–25

Portugal

UEFA Nations League: 2018–19, 2024–25

Individual

SJPF Young Player of the Month: August 2017, September 2017, October/November 2017, February 2018, April 2018

Primeira Liga Player of the Month: August 2017, September 2017, April 2018, December 2018, February 2019, March 2019, April 2019

Primeira Liga Goal of the Month: August 2017, September 2017

Primeira Liga Team of the Year: 2017–18, 2018–19

LPFP Primeira Liga Player of the Year: 2017–18, 2018–19

Taça de Portugal top scorer: 2018–19 (6 goals)

UEFA Champions League top assist provider: 2021–22

UEFA Europa League Squad of the Season: 2017–18, 2019–20, 2020–21

UEFA Europa League Team of the Season: 2024–25