Bruno Fernandes facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Bruno Fernandes

Fernandes with Portugal at the 2018 FIFA World Cup
Personal information
Date of birth	(1994-09-08) 8 September 1994 (age 30)
Place of birth	Maia, Portugal
Height	1.79 m
Playing position	Midfielder
Club information
Current club	Manchester United
Number	8
Youth career
2002–2004	Infesta
2004–2012	Boavista
2005–2010	→ Pasteleira (loan)
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2012–2013	Novara	23	(4)
2013–2016	Udinese	86	(10)
2016–2017	Sampdoria	33	(5)
2017–2020	Sporting CP	83	(39)
2020–	Manchester United	180	(59)
National team‡
2012	Portugal U19	2	(0)
2014	Portugal U20	5	(1)
2014–2017	Portugal U21	17	(6)
2016	Portugal U23	4	(0)
2017–	Portugal	76	(25)
Honours Men's football Representing  Portugal UEFA Nations League Winner 2019
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 22:48, 19 January 2025 (UTC). † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 23:45, 15 November 2024 (UTC)

Bruno Miguel Borges Fernandes (born 8 September 1994) is a Portuguese professional footballer. He plays as a midfielder for the English club Manchester United, where he is the captain. He also plays for the Portugal national team. Many people think he is one of the best midfielders in the world. He is known for his amazing long passes, great vision on the field, and excellent penalty kicks.

Bruno Fernandes started his career in Italy with Novara in 2012. He then moved to Udinese in 2013 and Sampdoria in 2016. After five years in Italy, he joined Sporting CP in Portugal in 2017. There, he won the Taça da Liga twice and the Taça de Portugal. He was also named the best player in the Portuguese league (Primeira Liga Player of the Year) for two seasons in a row. In the 2018–19 season, he scored 33 goals, which was a record for a midfielder in Europe.

In January 2020, Fernandes moved to Manchester United. He quickly became a key player for the team. With Manchester United, he has won the FA Cup and the EFL Cup.

Bruno Fernandes also played for Portugal's youth teams, including under-19, under-20, under-21, and under-23. He even played in the 2016 Summer Olympics. He made his debut for the senior Portugal team in 2017. He has played for Portugal in the FIFA World Cup (2018 and 2022) and the UEFA European Championship (2020 and 2024). He helped Portugal win the 2019 UEFA Nations League Finals and was named in the "Team of the Tournament" for his great performance.

Bruno Fernandes: Early Life and Youth Career

Bruno Fernandes was born in Maia, Portugal. When he was a child, he supported Boavista and Manchester United. He often played football on the streets with his older brother, Ricardo, who also became a professional player. His father wanted him to move to Switzerland, but Bruno chose to stay in Portugal to play football.

Starting Out in Football

Bruno began his youth career at a local club called Infesta. He later joined Boavista, even though he had an offer from Porto. Boavista helped him with transportation to training, which was important for his family. At Boavista, he mostly played as a centre-back. But when he was 15, after a loan spell at Pasteleira, he changed his position to an attacking midfielder.

Club Journey: From Italy to England

Playing in Italy

Novara (2012–2013)

On 27 August 2012, Bruno Fernandes moved to Italy to join Novara. At first, he found it hard to settle in. He missed home and struggled to learn Italian. But once his girlfriend moved to Italy, he quickly learned the language and felt more comfortable. People even called him the "Maradona of Novara" because of his talent. After only a few weeks with the youth team, he was promoted to the first team in Serie B. He played in more than half of the league games in the 2012–13 season, helping his team reach the promotion play-offs.

Udinese and Sampdoria (2013–2017)

In the summer of 2013, big Italian clubs like Inter Milan and Juventus wanted to sign him. But Bruno chose to join Udinese because they promised him more chances to play in the first team. He made his debut in Serie A on 3 November. He scored his first league goal on 7 December in a 3–3 draw against Napoli.

On 16 August 2016, Fernandes moved to Sampdoria on a loan deal that would become permanent. He played his first game for them twelve days later. He scored his first goal for Sampdoria on 26 September. He scored 5 goals in 33 Serie A games during the season.

Shining at Sporting CP

Becoming a Star (2017–2018)

On 27 June 2017, Bruno Fernandes joined Sporting CP in Portugal. He signed a five-year contract. He made his debut for the club on 6 August. He scored four goals in his first five games in the Primeira Liga, including two goals in one match. On 12 September, he played his first UEFA Champions League group stage game and scored a goal. He finished his first season with 16 goals and 20 assists. He was named in the Primeira Liga Team of the Year and won the Primeira Liga Player of the Year award.

On 15 May 2018, Bruno and some teammates were attacked by about 50 Sporting fans at the training ground. This happened after the team finished third in the league and missed out on Champions League. Despite this, the team played in the 2018 Taça de Portugal Final but lost. Bruno Fernandes was again 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.

Record-Breaking Midfielder (2018–2020)

In the 2018–19 season, Bruno Fernandes scored his 23rd goal on 3 March 2019. This broke a club record for goals scored by a midfielder in a season. On 5 May, he scored three goals (a hat-trick) in an 8–1 win. This made him the highest-scoring Portuguese midfielder ever in a single season, with 31 goals. He scored his 33rd and final goal of the season on 25 May 2019, helping Sporting win the Taça de Portugal final. He won the Primeira Liga Player of the Year award for the second year in a row.

He started the 2019–20 season strongly, scoring seven goals in his first 10 games. He scored in six games in a row, becoming only the third Sporting player in the 21st century to do so. On 28 November, he scored twice and set up two other goals in a 4–0 win against PSV Eindhoven. This helped Sporting qualify for the knockout stages of the UEFA Europa League.

Joining Manchester United

Instant Impact (2019–2020)

On 29 January 2020, Manchester United announced they had agreed to sign Bruno Fernandes from Sporting. The transfer fee was around €55 million (£47 million), with potential extra payments. He signed a five-and-a-half-year contract.

He made his debut on 1 February in a 0–0 draw against Wolverhampton Wanderers. On 17 February, he provided an assist in United's 2–0 win over Chelsea. He scored his first goal for Manchester United on 23 February from a penalty kick in a 3–0 win against Watford. He also assisted another goal in that game. His first European goal for United came from a penalty in a 5–0 win against Club Brugge. In March, he was named the Premier League Player of the Month for February.

On 30 June, Bruno scored two goals for the first time for United in a 3–0 win over Brighton & Hove Albion. For his great performances in June, he won several awards, including Premier League Player of the Month and Goal of the Month. He was the first player to win both awards at the same time in Premier League history. He also became the first Manchester United player since Cristiano Ronaldo to win back-to-back Player of the Month awards. In September, he won the Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year award, given to United's best player from the previous season.

Continued Success (2020–2021)

On 26 September, Bruno scored his first goal of the new season in a dramatic 3–2 win against Brighton. The goal was scored from a penalty in the 100th minute, one of the latest goals in Premier League history. On 7 November, he scored two goals and assisted another in a 3–1 win over Everton. He was named Premier League Player of the Month for November and again for December, becoming the first player to win the award four times in one year. He scored one goal and made two assists in United's record-equalling 9–0 win against Southampton on 2 February 2021. He finished the league season with 18 goals and 12 assists, making him one of the top goalscorers and assist providers.

In April, Bruno Fernandes spoke out against the idea of the European Super League, saying "Dreams can't be [bought]." Manchester United later withdrew from the Super League plan. On 29 April, he scored twice and assisted two goals in a 6–2 win over Roma in the Europa League semi-finals. He won the Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year award for the second season in a row. On 26 May, Manchester United lost the 2021 UEFA Europa League Final to Villarreal on penalties, even though Bruno scored his penalty kick.

Champions League Assists (2021–2022)

Fernandes playing for Manchester United against Leeds United during the 2021–22 season

On 14 August, in the first game of the Premier League season, Bruno scored three goals (a hat-trick) in a 5–1 win against Leeds United. On 23 November, he assisted Jadon Sancho's goal in a 2–0 win against Villarreal in the Champions League. This made him the first player from an English club to assist in five Champions League matches in a row. On 2 December, he made his 100th appearance for the club, scoring the first goal in a 3–2 win over Arsenal.

On 1 April 2022, Bruno signed a new contract with Manchester United until June 2026. On 2 May, he scored his 50th goal for Manchester United in a 3–0 win over Brentford. Although his team struggled that season, Bruno was the top assist provider in the 2021–22 UEFA Champions League, with seven assists.

Ending the Trophy Drought (2022–2023)

On 1 July, Manchester United announced that Bruno Fernandes would wear the number 8 shirt, his favorite number. He scored his first goal of the season on 27 August in a 1–0 win against Southampton.

On 3 January 2023, Bruno made his 150th appearance for the club. Two weeks later, he played a big part in United's 2–1 comeback win over Manchester City in the Manchester derby. On 18 January, he scored in a 1–1 draw against Crystal Palace, reaching 100 goal contributions (goals or assists) for the club. On 26 February, Bruno started in the 2023 EFL Cup final as Manchester United beat Newcastle United 2–0. This was his first trophy with the club!

Bruno Fernandes created the most chances (119) in the 2022–23 Premier League, which was the highest for a Manchester United player since 2003–04. United finished third in the Premier League, qualifying for the 2023–24 UEFA Champions League. In the 2023 FA Cup final, Bruno scored a penalty, but United lost 2–1 to Manchester City.

Club Captaincy and FA Cup Win (2023–present)

On 20 July, Bruno Fernandes was named the new club captain of Manchester United. On 26 August, he scored his first goal of the season from a penalty and assisted another goal in a 3–2 comeback win over Nottingham Forest. The team had a tough start to the season, especially in the Champions League, where they finished last in their group. Despite this, Bruno was one of the players who played the most minutes in world football.

In January 2024, Bruno received a big contract offer from Saudi Pro League club Al-Hilal. However, he turned down the offer, saying he was "happy" and "focused on Man United."

On 7 April, he scored his 50th Premier League goal with an amazing shot from 50 yards in a 2–2 draw against Liverpool. He was named Manchester United Player of the Month for April after scoring seven goals in six games. On 23 May, he won the Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year award for the third time. In the 2024 FA Cup final against Manchester City, Bruno assisted Kobbie Mainoo's goal in a 2–1 win for United. This was his second trophy with the club and his first as captain! After the match, former United player Roy Keane praised Bruno's leadership. In July, his contract with Manchester United was extended until 2027.

On 29 September, Bruno was sent off in a match against Tottenham Hotspur, but the red card was later overturned. On 3 October, he was sent off again in a Europa League match, becoming the first United player since Eric Cantona in 1994 to be sent off in two consecutive games. He made his 250th appearance for the club on 11 November, scoring a goal and assisting another. On 26 December, he received his third red card of the season, a first for a United player in 16 years.

International Career with Portugal

Youth Teams (2012–2017)

Fernandes playing for Portugal at the 2016 Summer Olympics

Bruno Fernandes played for Portugal's youth teams, including the under-20s and under-21s. He even scored a goal against Chile in the 2014 Toulon Tournament, where Portugal finished third. He was named captain of the under-21 team. He helped them qualify for the 2017 UEFA European Under-21 Championship, scoring four goals. In the tournament, he scored a goal against Serbia.

Bruno also represented Portugal at the 2016 Summer Olympics. He played in every game as the team reached the quarter-finals.

Senior Debut and World Cup (2017–2018)

Fernandes playing for Portugal at the 2018 FIFA World Cup

Bruno Fernandes was first called up to the senior Portugal team on 28 August 2017. He made his full debut on 10 November 2017 in a 3–0 friendly win against Saudi Arabia.

He was chosen to play for Portugal in the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. He scored his first goal for the senior team on 7 June in a warm-up match against Algeria. His first World Cup game was on 15 June in a 3–3 draw against Spain. Portugal was knocked out of the tournament after losing 2–1 to Uruguay in the last 16.

Nations League Title and Euros (2018–2021)

Bruno Fernandes helped Portugal qualify for the first-ever 2019 UEFA Nations League Finals in June 2019. He played in both matches as Portugal beat the Netherlands 1–0 to win the trophy. He was named in the "Team of the Tournament" for his excellent play.

He was also part of Portugal's squad for the UEFA Euro 2020 tournament. He played in all games until Portugal was knocked out in the round of 16.

National Team Breakthrough (2022–present)

On 29 March 2022, Bruno Fernandes scored both goals in Portugal's 2–0 win over North Macedonia. This win secured Portugal's spot in the 2022 tournament in Qatar.

Fernandes after scoring against Uruguay at the 2022 FIFA World Cup

In November 2022, he was included in Portugal's final squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. On 25 November, he provided two assists in Portugal's 3–2 win against Ghana. Three days later, he scored both goals in a 2–0 victory over Uruguay, helping his team qualify for the knockout stages. On 6 December, he assisted a goal in Portugal's big 6–1 win against Switzerland. Portugal was eliminated in the quarter-finals after losing 1–0 to Morocco. Despite this, Bruno finished the tournament as one of the top assist providers with three assists.

His great form continued in the Euro 2024 qualifiers. On 17 June 2023, he provided two assists and scored two goals against Bosnia and Herzegovina in a 3–0 win. On his 29th birthday, 8 September, he scored the only goal in a 1–0 win over Slovakia. On 11 September, he scored a goal and assisted three others in a huge 9–0 win against Luxembourg, which was Portugal's biggest win ever. On 13 November, he assisted two goals in a 3–2 win against Slovakia, helping Portugal qualify for Euro 2024 faster than ever before. Bruno finished the qualifying campaign as the top assist provider with eight assists.

On 21 May 2024, he was selected for the 26-man squad for UEFA Euro 2024. On 22 June, Bruno scored Portugal's third goal in a 3–0 win against Turkey, securing their spot in the knockout phase. In the round of 16 match against Slovenia, he played the full game and scored his penalty in the shootout, which Portugal won 3–0. Portugal was eliminated in the quarter-finals after losing to France in another penalty shootout.

Player Profile

How He Plays

Bruno Fernandes is an attacking midfielder. He is a very active player who can move all over the field. He is great at taking on defenders and controlling the game's speed. He often takes risks with his passes, but he is also quick to win the ball back if he loses it. Bruno scores a lot of goals from midfield. He often shoots from outside the penalty area and is very accurate with free-kicks and penalty kicks. He moves smartly without the ball, finding open spaces or dropping deep to get the ball. He can play as an attacking midfielder, a deeper central midfielder, or even as a second striker. At Manchester United, he has also played on the right wing because of his excellent crossing ability, which makes him a great assist provider.

Goal Celebration

Bruno Fernandes has a special way of celebrating his goals. After scoring, he usually covers his ears with both hands. This is a tribute to his daughter, who covers her ears as if she can't hear him.

Personal Life

When Bruno Fernandes moved to Italy at 18, his childhood sweetheart, Ana Pinho, joined him. They got married in 2015. They have a daughter, born in January 2017, and a son, born in September 2020. Bruno has tattoos on his arms, including the number 8 (for his birthday and his father, who also wore number 8), the letter F for his last name, and the number 23 to remember his debut with the Portugal national team when he was 23.

Bruno Fernandes can speak several languages. Besides his native Portuguese, he is fluent in Spanish, English, and Italian. He also knows some French. His brother, Ricardo, also plays football in England's ninth tier.

Career statistics

Club

International

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

List of international goals scored by Bruno Fernandes

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	7 June 2018	Estádio da Luz, Lisbon, Portugal	Algeria	2–0	3–0	Friendly
2	17 November 2019	Stade Josy Barthel, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg	Luxembourg	1–0	2–0	UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying
3	9 June 2021	Estádio José Alvalade, Lisbon, Portugal	Israel	1–0	4–0	Friendly
4				4–0
5	4 September 2021	Nagyerdei Stadion, Debrecen, Hungary	Qatar	3–1	3–1	Friendly
6	12 October 2021	Estádio Algarve, Faro/Loulé, Portugal	Luxembourg	3–0	5–0	2022 FIFA World Cup qualification
7	29 March 2022	Estádio do Dragão, Porto, Portugal	Macedonia	1–0	2–0	2022 FIFA World Cup qualification
8				2–0
9	24 September 2022	Fortuna Arena, Prague, Czech Republic	Czech Republic	2–0	4–0	2022–23 UEFA Nations League A
10	17 November 2022	Estádio José Alvalade, Lisbon, Portugal	Nigeria	1–0	4–0	Friendly
11				2–0
12	28 November 2022	Lusail Stadium, Lusail, Qatar	Uruguay	1–0	2–0	2022 FIFA World Cup
13				2–0
14	17 June 2023	Estádio da Luz, Lisbon, Portugal	Bosnia and Herzegovina	2–0	3–0	UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying
15				3–0
16	8 September 2023	Tehelné pole, Bratislava, Slovakia	Slovakia	1–0	1–0	UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying
17	11 September 2023	Estádio Algarve, Faro/Loulé, Portugal	Luxembourg	8–0	9–0	UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying
18	16 October 2023	Bilino Polje Stadium, Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina	Bosnia and Herzegovina	3–0	5–0	UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying
19	19 November 2023	Estádio José Alvalade, Lisbon, Portugal	Iceland	1–0	2–0	UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying
20	21 March 2024	Estádio D. Afonso Henriques, Guimarães, Portugal	Sweden	3–0	5–2	Friendly
21	4 June 2024	Estádio José Alvalade, Lisbon, Portugal	Finland	3–0	4–2	Friendly
22				4–2
23	22 June 2024	Westfalenstadion, Dortmund, Germany	Turkey	3–0	3–0	UEFA Euro 2024
24	8 September 2024	Estádio da Luz, Lisbon, Portugal	Scotland	1–1	2–1	2024–25 UEFA Nations League A
25	15 November 2024	Estádio do Dragão, Porto, Portugal	Poland	3–0	5–1	2024–25 UEFA Nations League A

Honours and Awards

Sporting CP

• Taça de Portugal: 2018–19
• Taça da Liga: 2017–18, 2018–19

Manchester United

• FA Cup: 2023–24
• EFL Cup: 2022–23

Portugal

• UEFA Nations League: 2018–19

Individual Awards

• 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 Midfielder of the Month: August 2017, October/November 2018, December 2018, January 2019, February 2019, March 2019, April 2019, August 2019, September 2019, January 2020
• LPFP Primeira Liga Player of the Year: 2017–18, 2018–19
• Primeira Liga Team of the Year: 2017–18, 2018–19
• Taça de Portugal Top scorer: 2018–19 (6 goals)
• UEFA Europa League Squad of the Season: 2017–18, 2019–20, 2020–21
• Sporting CP Footballer of the Year: 2018, 2019
• CNID Footballer of the Year: 2019
• UEFA Nations League Finals Team of the Tournament: 2019
• PFA Fans' Premier League Player of the Month: February 2020, June/July 2020
• PFA Team of the Year: 2020–21 Premier League
• Premier League Player of the Month: February 2020, June 2020, November 2020, December 2020
• Premier League Goal of the Month: June 2020, February 2021, September 2023
• Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year: 2019–20, 2020–21, 2023–24
• Manchester United Goal of the Season: 2020–21 (vs. Everton, 6 February 2021)
• FSA Men's Player of the Year Award: 2020
• ESM Team of the Year: 2020–21

Images for kids

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  Fernandes with Portugal at the 2018 FIFA World Cup

See also

In Spanish: Bruno Fernandes para niños