The Rise of Bruno Fernandes

A disagreement with his dad changed the course of his life forever, but such burning ambition is what made the player he is today.

In this article, we look at Bruno Fernandes's early life, from dropping out of school to moving to Italy, and his rise to Manchester United to play at the Theatre of Dreams. This is the incredible story of his career so far.

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Early Years

Bruno Miguel Borges Fernandes was born on the 8th September 1994 at Maia, in the Metropolitan Area of Porto, Portugal.

For a kid who had irrevocably pledged to become a football player, there was no measure to what Fernandes could sacrifice, including academics as the youngster dropped out of school before he could finish 11th grade.

Bruno’s father, Jose Fernandes, unemployed and struggling to provide for his family, chose to leave home for Switzerland in search of a job. At first, the idea was to take his wife and three children with him, but Bruno refused to go. Worse, he threatened to run away if they insisted on moving ahead with their plan.

Playing in the Boavista youth ranks at the time, a fledgling Bruno Fernandes was not willing to quit his local team.

Ultimately, his wish was granted. While Bruno’s dad packed his bags for a new country, his mum, Virginia Borges, remained back in Gueifaes – a district on the outskirts of Maia, 15 minutes from Porto – to look on as he chased his footballing dream.

Youth Career

Bruno joined his first junior team at the age of eight, joining Infesta, a club in the Portuguese football pyramid's third tier at the time. Bruno and his family chose this team because it was close to their home, but when Bruno wanted to make a step up, travel and transport became an issue.

Bruno was offered a youth contract by Porto, the team he supported and one of the best in the country, but he chose to join another side, Boavista, because they provided daily transport to and from training.

Bruno spent eight years as a Boavista player but spent over half of this time on loan at Pasteleira. During his time at Boavista, Bruno transitioned from a centre-back to a creative and attacking midfielder. While Bruno came through at Boavista, it was in Italy he made his breakthrough, with Serie B club Novara.

Move to Italy

Having agreed a deal with Boavista, the Italians invited Bruno and his mum over to complete the transfer and show them around the city.

“Before leaving, his mother put €50 in his pocket in case he needed to buy anything there,” recalls Pasteleira coach Peres. “It was the most she could hand him at that point.”

“He’s also a boy who never had a Plan B in mind. For some time, he relied on rides from others like me to get to training and pursue a career, because his parents couldn’t drive. Bruno’s sole purpose was to give them some reasons to smile.”

Upon arriving in Italy in 2012, he couldn’t understand a word of Italian. And to make matters worse, Novara coach Attilio Tesser had forbidden his new players from speaking English to him during his first month.

But the midfielder, by then approaching his 18th birthday, managed to overcome his early struggles. After his girlfriend moved to Italy, Fernandes quickly learned the language and began settling in the country. He spent just three months with Novara’s U19s, as his displays quickly earned him a place in a first team who were struggling in the lower-mid-table after a poor start to the season.

Novara recovered to come 5th and reach the play-offs, Bruno who was described as ‘the Maradona of Novara’ by local press – finished the season with 23 appearances, 4 senior goals, and burgeoning interest from big guns such as Juventus and Milan.

The following season, Bruno was snapped up by Udinese. They lured him with a promise of regular football and a huge pay rise from his initial €1,500 monthly wage. Bruno spent 3 seasons with Udinese, but Bruno demanded more ambition.

For that reason, he was on the move again in 2016 – this time to Sampdoria, where he was handed the No.10 jersey that had once been graced by Roberto Mancini. 

The club’s lack of ambition – specifically, a 10th-place finish in Serie A and no progression beyond the Coppa Italia last 16 – remained an issue, prompting his decision to return home after a single season at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris.

Return to Portugal

Bruno then moved to Sporting CP, at €8.5m, becoming Sporting’s second-most expensive player of all time. He scored 16 goals in 56 games and was named Primeira Liga Player of the Year in his debut season. 

But, in May 2018, after a promising start for Bruno, a group of 50 ultras, enraged by the team's failure to qualify for the Champions League, broke into Sporting's Alcochete training complex and attacked the squad with belts, fists, and sticks.

As a result, he was one of nine players who ripped up their contracts, before eventually agreeing to come back, refusing offers from England and Spain but doubling his salary in Lisbon.

While some supporters initially questioned Brunos’ reasons for returning to the club, he responded with the most prolific season by a midfielder in European club history. An amazing 32 goals and 17 assists in 2018-19 beat the previous record, set by Fenerbahce’s Brazilian star Alex in 2010-11. His stats only began to illustrate his impact off the pitch, too, where he took on a more prominent role inside the dressing room.

Bruno spent the first half of the 2019/20 season with Sporting, scoring 15 goals in 28 games, before moving to Manchester United in the January transfer window.

Move to Man Utd

On 29th January 2020, Bruno signed for Manchester United on a five-and-a-half-year deal, and for a fee of £47 million with £21 million in add-ons. In the second half of the season, Fernandes scored 12 goals in 22 games, helping Manchester United to secure a top four finish in the Premier league. He was also the top scorer in the Europa League, scoring 8 goals. 

The following season, and his first full season in Manchester, Bruno scored 28 goals in 58 games and helped his team to reach the Europa League final, which they ultimately lost. But a sensational season for the player led him to be named in the PFA Premier League Team of the Year. 

In the 2021/22 season, Bruno scored 10 goals in 46 games and got the most assists in the Champions League. One of his goals came in his 100th appearance for the club, against Arsenal. Bruno also had the opportunity to play alongside one of his idols, Cristiano Ronaldo, for the first time at club level, as his compatriot made an exciting return to Manchester.

On 1st April 2022, Bruno signed a contract extension with Manchester United that will see him remain with the team until 2026 with the option of a further year.