The Portuguese midfielder discusses making a sacrifice as a teenager, coping with expectation, a unique goal celebration, and facing Switzerland.
- A prominent player for Portugal with two goals and two assists is Bruno Fernandes.
- Midfielder left at age 17 to pursue his dream of playing football abroad.
- The 28-year-old star of Manchester United has 90 minutes until the quarterfinal of the World Cup.
Bruno Fernandes is accepting the pressure of expectation that will be on the footballers of Portugal at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022TM.
Warming to his subject and speaking before Tuesday’s last-16 match against Switzerland, the quick-witted Manchester United midfielder refers to that pressure as “a privilege.”
The attitude of Fernandes shows how much he is enjoying his newfound prominence in Fernando Santos’ glitzy Portugal squad. The 28-year-old played a minor role in the last two major competitions. After Portugal’s opening game in Russia 2018, Santos dropped Fernandes from his starting lineup, and he did the same after Portugal’s first two games at the UEFA EURO the year before.
Now, the Portugal coach would not support the notion of playing a crucial game without Fernandes controlling the play. The midfielder’s two goals helped Portugal easily defeat Uruguay 2-0 and get out of the group stage as soon as possible. When Ghana was defeated 3-2 in the opening game, he assisted on two crucial late goals.
Fernandes credits his relatively late transition from chorus line to headline act—he rose to international prominence on the club scene after moving to Old Trafford in January 2020—to the unwavering resolve that led him to leave the comforts of home for a “all-or-nothing” move to Novara, Italy, when he was just 17 years old.
I wouldn’t be where I am today if I hadn’t had that experience, which was unusual for Portuguese players at the time, claims Fernandes.
Rewind to the present and the location where Fernandes is right now. To save his legs for the knockout rounds, the player with 51 caps was rested for Portugal’s match against Korea Republic in the last group game. The World Cup is “the zenith of any player’s career,” according to Fernandes.
It is impossible to predict the Round of 16 match at Lusail Stadium. In June, Portugal and Switzerland met twice within a single week. Santos’ team won 4-0 at home before the Swiss somewhat exacted retribution by winning 1-0 in Geneva.
The only thing that is definite is that, should Fernandes succeed, he will celebrate with his daughter Matilde by placing his hands over his ears as is traditional.
FIFA: You play a key role in this Portugal team, and your efforts in Qatar have set the bar high. As one of the players the nation is depending on for success, do you feel the pressure mounting?
Bruno Fernandes: I don’t experience that sort of emotion. My objectives are to support the squad and do the best I can to represent my nation. I feel under pressure to speak for my nation, my people, my family, and all of my friends. everyone who has witnessed my development throughout the years. And everyone who has supported me during my still quite brief career.
It goes without saying that the largest pressure we face is representing our nation. However, because it is such a great privilege, the pressure is very beneficial.
To get to the point where we are right now, which is the World Cup, I believe that everyone has to work really hard in their own manner. I’ve always had this attitude, whether I’m travelling overseas or not. I would have still found a way even if I hadn’t travelled overseas. I would have needed to figure out a means to reach the level I desired. Early travel abroad has helped me mature a lot. Different football, different culture. an alternative pressure.
When I travelled to Italy, everything was on the line. I understood there was no turning back. If I didn’t succeed, I would waste two to three years of my career, and it would be challenging to pique their [clubs’] interest once more. Fortunately, everything went smoothly, and I made significant progress. I started to develop gradually in the direction I wanted to go until I reached where I am now.
I’m happy with how things turned out. As a result, I encountered new cultures and people. Many of the friends I made there contributed to my improvement as a player as a person. I wouldn’t be here now if I hadn’t had that experience, which was unusual for Portuguese players at the time.
