I can’t change people’s opinions about me – Fernandes in his own words

The Football Interview is a new series in which the biggest names in sport and entertainment join host Kelly Somers for bold and in-depth conversations about the nation’s favourite sport. We’ll explore mindset and motivation, and talk about defining moments, career highs and personal reflections. The Football Interview brings you the person behind the player.

Bruno Fernandes has been one of Manchester United’s most consistent players since joining five years ago.

The 31-year-old Portugal midfielder is the Red Devils’ captain and has scored 99 goals for the club.

Bruno: Obviously my family. My parents growing up, where they never let me think that I wouldn’t be able to do something. And at the same time, they always kept me on the floor – like, don’t think too high and never think too low. So, just put a line there, put your dreams above that, and then go for that.

And then my wife now, girlfriend at the time, she had a little bit of the same as my mum and my dad. She always kept me very low. She was always very supportive of me, but always, like, just be aware that things can go wrong. So just don’t think too much ahead. Just think about the moment and what you want for the future, but make that the moment that will help you to achieve that in the future. As a family, we always had that from my childhood. And then going to pass that to my young kids now, it’s amazing because the way I and my wife think is very similar. So together that was very good.

Bruno: Being consistent, I think. During 90 minutes, you have to be so consistent in everything you do. Sometimes it slips away from you and it can change everything. So I think consistency in the first thing – consistent in doing whatever you think is the best for the team, because that has to come first of everything and you can’t do anything without thinking of the team first. That’s true in football, and it’s what has to come above everything because there’s nothing more important than the team.

Bruno: A lot of times. The game against Wolves, I was on the bench but I think I get more nervous on the bench. I get more nervous being on the bench. Hopefully not many times I’ll be on the bench. I get more nervous watching the game because I am suffering for my team-mates when you see something go against them and they’re trying to make something different and it doesn’t come. I get nervous and can’t be steady on the bench or even at home if I have to stay and see the game at home. I can’t be not loud. I need to be loud and active. It’s like I’m in the game.

Bruno: No, never. During the games? No. Before the games I can get nervous. During the game I just think about the goal we have for the game which is to win. I remember every step that we have trained and that my team-mates have to do and I remember every position they have to do. When I go to a training session I focus not only on what I have to do but what is around me because it can change, I have to play a different position or a team-mate could not be aware of where he has to be or which position he should stay.

Bruno: I would go with my kids wherever they wanted to go. Sometimes it is very tough to go with my kids at certain points. They’re very aware of people asking for photos and stuff and they already know when someone asks me for photos they just go apart – the older one gets the smaller one, she grabs him and stands looking at me like, ‘take the photo’. I would like to go places where I was going as a young kid, with them, without them needing to stop all the time and just enjoy the time with them.

I’d go to a beach in Portugal to try to enjoy as much as I can with them. I still do it. I’m not a person who gets annoyed when people are asking for photos. I get more annoyed at people trying to take photos of you while you’re doing something with your kids. I don’t mind people asking for photos. It’s one of the good things of our work – getting recognised. In a few years’ time we won’t get recognised that much so we will be fine.

Bruno: That’s more difficult. Very tough on them. Nowadays we make things easier for the kids. As a parent, I obviously do it. I look back when I was a kid and most of the things my mother and father did to me I was seeing as a punishment. Now I see it was something to make me see ‘why is the reason for that?’ and nowadays sometimes I make things too easy for them, but I try to make it as tough for them to understand things don’t come easily as often as we want or any time we want.