7 Interesting Bruno Fernandes Fun Facts Not Every Fan Knows.

Full Name: Bruno Miguel Borges Fernandes

Date of Birth: 8 September 1994

Place of Birth: Maia, Portugal

Height: 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in)

Position: Attacking midfielder

Current Team: Manchester United

Man Utd Goals: 76

Man Utd Games: 227

Bruno Fernandes’ spectacular rise through the ranks of European Football has seen the Portuguese Playmaker journey from Serie A newcomer to Premier League superstar in less than a decade.

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During that time he has broken numerous records and upon his arrival at Manchester United set new standards for an attacking midfielder in the English game. But aside from his footballing achievements, what else is there to learn about the Red Devil’s number 8?

Here are 7 Interesting and Fun Facts About Man Utd’s Midfield Maestro Bruno Fernandes

• He Dropped Out Of School To Become A Professional Footballer.

• His First Idol Was Ronaldinho.

• He Started His Career As A Centre Back.

• He Taught Himself Italian.

• His Lucky Number Is Eight.

• He Breaks All Kinds Of Records.

• He Has Always Been A Die-Hard Manchester United Fan.

1. He Dropped Out Of School To Become A Professional Footballer

Bruno Fernandes chose to leave School in his early teens. As a child, he would play football on the streets of Porto with his older brother Ricardo who was already a professional player.

His Father would emigrate to Switzerland and wanted his son to move with him. But a young Bruno refused to leave because of the Swiss game’s poor standard and he was eventually offered a place in Boavista's youth academy instead.

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2. His First Idol Was Ronaldinho

Most fans might be aware that Fernandes idolised his fellow Portuguese teammate Cristiano Ronaldo from an early age.

But, did you know he was first inspired by Brazilian legend Ronaldinho? “When I grew up, the first player I liked to watch was Ronaldinho,” Fernandes explained during an episode of the Manchester United Podcast in 2020. “He had this kind of magic that nobody else had. It was the way he worked every day. The mentality he had and the capacity to give one hundred per cent in every game at a high level.”

3. He Started His Career As A Centre Back

Fernandes' youth career began at local club Infesta. But rather than beginning his footballing life as the goalscoring playmaker we see today, he started playing as a centre-back. It wasn’t until the age of 15 and a loan move from Boavista to Lisbon-based club Pasteleria, that Fernandes was finally pushed upfield into an advanced attacking role.

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“At the time, we were evaluating players – where they could produce more; which positions they should be playing – as we do at the start of every season,” explains the then Pasteleira coach Antonio Peres. “If we’d had a No.10 in our team, maybe he wouldn’t have moved forward on the pitch. But we didn’t, and he took his chance.”

4. He Taught Himself Italian

When he was 17, Fernandes joined the Italian side Novara but initially struggled to adapt to his new surroundings, and so quickly became homesick. The Portuguese youngster didn't speak a word of Italian. But through his typical hard work and persistence, he quickly learned the language. 'He would scribble notes all over the place,' it is claimed, 'like ‘Tavolo’ on the table, ‘Sedia’ on chairs, and ‘Frigo’ on the refrigerator.

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Fernandes is multilingual; able to speak Spanish, English, and Italian fluently, whilst also knowing some French.

5. His Lucky Number Is Eight

When Juan Mata left Manchester United in the Summer of 2022 the Spaniard's number eight shirt became available. Fernandes didn’t hesitate in dropping his number eighteen shirt to claim number eight for himself. Fernandes has somewhat of a history with the number eight. The jersey was once worn by Bruno's late Father during his playing days and Fernandes even refers to the number eight as his ‘lucky charm.’

"The eighth is the day of my birthday!” Fernandes told Manchester United's official website in July 2022. “So this number eight says a lot about me, my family, and my past. That's why I like to use it. And that's why it's my preferred number."

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6. He Breaks All Kinds Of Records

Throughout his illustrious career so far, Fernandes has claimed all types of records, both in Portugal and the Premier League. During his 2018-19 campaign with Sporting Lisbon, he scored 23 competitive goals, breaking Antonio Oliveria’s 1981-82 club record for goals scored by a midfielder in a single season.

As a result of his extraordinary performances for United in June 2020, Fernandes won Premier League Player Of The Month and Goal Of The Month, becoming the first player in Premier League history to win both awards in the same calendar month. In September 2020, Fernandes scored the third 'latest' goal ever in a Premier League game, slotting home a penalty against Brighton in the 100th minute.

Fernandes sits behind only Juan Mata (101st minute) and Dirk Kuyt (102nd minute) for the latest Premier League goal ever scored. Interestingly, it can be argued his late strike happened once the game had finished, with a VAR check taking place after the referee had already blown for full-time. On the 7th of April 2024, he notched his 50th Premier League goal for Man United against Liverpool with their opening shot of the game, precisely in the 50th minute.

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7. He Has Always Been A Die-Hard Manchester United Fan

The 28-year-old's skillset and mental strength developed significantly with a move to the Serie A League. During his time in Italian football, he initially played for Udinese before switching to Genoa-based side Sampdoria. By the time he arrived back in Portugal with Sporting Lisbon, he had matured into an effective goalscoring playmaker.

As a teenager, Fernandes grew up watching his idol Cristiano Ronaldo blossom at Manchester United. His fellow countryman had quickly evolved from a tricky winger to a world-beating goal machine - and all in the space of just six years at Old Trafford. The Red Devils quickly became the only club Fernandes wanted to support. It was even rumoured that Fernandes cried upon finding out he'd finally secure a move from Sporting Lisbon to United in January 2020.

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Bonus - He is Second in Premier League History for Open Play Chances

In 2023, Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes demonstrated his exceptional playmaking abilities by creating an impressive 100 chances in open play in the Premier League. This remarkable feat places Fernandes in elite company, with Mesut Özil in 2015 being the only other player, according to Opta records dating back to 2004, to achieve a similar milestone with 104 chances.

Additionally, Bruno Fernandes is the second player in Man United's history to achieve the remarkable feat of scoring the winning goal in five consecutive Premier League matches. This accomplishment [achieved on the 9th of March 2024] places him alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, who achieved a similar streak from January to September 2007.

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As Fernandes continues to leave his mark on the pitch, he adds new chapters to his story, shaping the narrative of a playmaking maestro in action.

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