Career Timeline of Bruno Fernandes: Major Achievements and Milestones

From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Bruno Fernandes made an impact.

Bruno Fernandes is a Portuguese professional footballer renowned as an attacking midfielder. He captains Manchester United in the Premier League and also plays for the Portugal national team. Widely considered one of the best attacking midfielders globally, Fernandes is celebrated for his creative playmaking, exceptional vision, prolific goal-scoring abilities, and precise passing skills.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

August 2012: Joining Novara in Italy

On August 27, 2012, Bruno Fernandes joined Novara in Italy, marking the beginning of his international career.

2013: Move to Udinese

In 2013, Bruno Fernandes moved from Novara to Serie A side Udinese, marking a significant step in his professional career.

2013: Signing with Udinese and Serie A Debut

In the summer of 2013, despite interest from Inter Milan and Juventus, Bruno Fernandes signed with Udinese, making his Serie A debut on November 3 and scoring his first league goal on December 7 against Napoli.

2014: Participation in Toulon Tournament

In 2014, Bruno Fernandes participated in the Toulon Tournament with the Portugal under-20s, scoring a goal against Chile and helping Portugal to a third-place finish.

August 2016: Move to Sampdoria

In August 2016, specifically on August 16, Bruno Fernandes moved to Sampdoria on loan with an obligation to be signed permanently, marking another step in his Italian career.

2016: Representing Portugal at the Summer Olympics

In 2016, Bruno Fernandes represented Portugal at the Summer Olympics, marking his participation in a major international tournament.

2016: Participation in Summer Olympics

In 2016, Bruno Fernandes represented Portugal in the Summer Olympics, starting every game as the team reached the quarter-finals.

June 2017: Joining Sporting CP

In June 2017, specifically on June 27, Bruno Fernandes joined Sporting CP on a five-year deal for a reported fee of €8.5 million plus bonuses after returning from the UEFA European Under-21 Championship, marking his return to Portuguese football.

August 2017: First Call-up for Portugal National Team

On August 28, 2017, Bruno Fernandes received his first call-up to the Portugal national team, replacing the injured Pizzi for World Cup qualifiers.

November 2017: Debut for Portugal National Team

On November 10, 2017, Bruno Fernandes won his first full cap for Portugal, replacing Manuel Fernandes in a friendly win over Saudi Arabia.

2017: Senior International Debut

In 2017, Bruno Fernandes made his senior international debut for Portugal, beginning his career with the national team.

2017: Signing with Sporting CP

In 2017, Bruno Fernandes signed with Sporting CP after spending five years in Italy, further advancing his football career.

2017: UEFA European Under-21 Championship

In June 2017, Bruno Fernandes participated in the UEFA European Under-21 Championship, scoring a goal against Serbia and helping Portugal to a group stage finish.

2018: UEFA Nations League Group Stage

Bruno Fernandes was selected for three matches in the league phase of the 2018–19 UEFA Nations League group stage, helping the hosts Portugal qualify to the inaugural Nations League Finals in June 2019.

2018: FIFA World Cup Selection

In 2018, Bruno Fernandes was chosen in Portugal's squad for the FIFA World Cup, marking his first appearance in the prestigious tournament.

2018: Participation in the FIFA World Cup

In 2018, Bruno Fernandes was selected for the FIFA World Cup in Russia, scoring his first goal for Portugal in a warm-up match against Algeria and playing in the group stage match against Spain. Portugal were eliminated after losing to Uruguay.

June 2019: UEFA Nations League Champion

In June 2019, Bruno Fernandes played in both matches of the UEFA Nations League Finals, helping Portugal defeat the Netherlands to win the trophy and being named in the Team of the Tournament.

2019: Scoring in Consecutive Appearances and Europa League Qualification

In the 2019–20 season, Bruno Fernandes scored seven goals in his first 10 appearances, including a run of scoring in six consecutive appearances. On November 28, 2019, he scored twice and assisted two goals in a 4–0 victory over PSV Eindhoven, securing Sporting's qualification for the knockout stages of the UEFA Europa League.

January 2020: Signing with Manchester United

In January 2020, Bruno Fernandes signed with Manchester United for an initial fee of €55 million (£47 million), marking a significant move in his career.

January 2020: Agreement to Sign with Manchester United

On January 29, 2020, Manchester United confirmed they had reached an agreement with Sporting to sign Bruno Fernandes, and the transfer was officially completed the following day. He signed a five-and-a-half-year contract.

2020: UEFA Euro 2020 Tournament

In 2020, Bruno Fernandes was selected for Portugal's squad for the UEFA Euro 2020 tournament, appearing in all games, but facing criticism for his performances as Portugal exited in the round of 16.

2020: UEFA European Championship Selection

In 2020, Bruno Fernandes was selected for Portugal's squad for the UEFA European Championship, showcasing his continued involvement in international competitions.

February 2021: Goal and Assists in Record-Equalling Win Against Southampton

On February 2, 2021, Bruno Fernandes scored one goal and made two assists in Manchester United's Premier League record-equalling 9–0 home win against Southampton, contributing significantly to the victory.

2021: Champions League Top Assist Provider

During the 2021-22 season, Bruno Fernandes was the top assist provider in the 2021–22 UEFA Champions League, with seven assists in total.

2021: UEFA Europa League Final

In 2021, Bruno Fernandes contributed to Manchester United reaching the UEFA Europa League final, showcasing his impact on the team's performance.

March 2022: World Cup Qualification

On March 29, 2022, Bruno Fernandes scored both goals in Portugal's 2–0 win over North Macedonia, securing their qualification for the 2022 World Cup.

April 2022: Signing New Contract with Manchester United

On April 1, 2022, Bruno Fernandes signed a new contract with Manchester United which would keep him at the club until June 2026, with the option of a further year.

2022: FIFA World Cup in Qatar

In 2022, Bruno Fernandes participated in the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, providing assists and scoring goals, ultimately finishing as a joint-top assister, though Portugal were eliminated in the quarter-finals.

January 2023: 150th Appearance for Manchester United and 100th Goal Contribution

In January 2023, Bruno Fernandes made his 150th appearance for Manchester United. On January 18, 2023, he registered his 100th goal contribution for the club. On January 3, 2023, he assisted Marcus Rashford's goal in United's 3–0 home win over Bournemouth.

July 2023: Named Club Captain

In July 2023, Bruno Fernandes was named as the club captain, replacing Harry Maguire.

2023: FA Cup Final

In 2023, Bruno Fernandes contributed to Manchester United reaching the FA Cup final.

2023: FA Cup Final and UEFA Champions League Qualification

In 2023, Manchester United qualified for the 2023–24 UEFA Champions League. In the 2023 FA Cup final, Bruno Fernandes equalised for United through a penalty in an eventual 2–1 defeat to Manchester City.

January 2024: Contract offer from Al-Hilal rejected

In January 2024, Bruno Fernandes received a €100 million contract offer from Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal, which he turned down to stay focused on Manchester United.

April 2024: 50th Premier League Goal and Player of the Month Award

In April 2024, Bruno Fernandes scored his 50th Premier League goal in a draw against Liverpool and was named Manchester United Player of the Month after scoring seven goals in six appearances.

May 2024: Selection for UEFA Euro 2024

In May 2024, Bruno Fernandes was selected in the 26-man squad for the UEFA Euro 2024.

2024: UEFA European Championship Selection

In 2024, Bruno Fernandes was selected for Portugal's squad for the UEFA European Championship, showcasing his continued involvement in international competitions.

2024: UEFA Euro 2024 Qualifiers

Throughout the UEFA Euro 2024 qualifiers in 2024, Bruno Fernandes contributed with goals and assists, leading Portugal to qualify for Euro 2024 with a record of ten consecutive wins, and finishing as the top assister.

March 2025: Hat-trick and Premier League Player of the Month Award

In March 2025, Bruno Fernandes scored a hat-trick against Real Sociedad in the UEFA Europa League and earned his fifth Premier League Player of the Month award.

August 2025: First Premier League Goal of the Season

In August 2025, Bruno Fernandes scored his first Premier League goal of the 2025–26 season with a 97th-minute penalty against Burnley.

November 2025: Hat-trick in FIFA World Cup Qualification

On November 16, 2025, Bruno Fernandes scored a hat-trick in a 9–1 win over Armenia during the FIFA World Cup qualification, securing Portugal's spot at the 2026 tournament in North America.

2025: UEFA Europa League Final

In 2025, Bruno Fernandes contributed to Manchester United reaching the UEFA Europa League final, showcasing his impact on the team's performance.

February 2026: 200 Goal Contributions

In February 2026, following a goal against Tottenham Hotspur, Bruno Fernandes became the second fastest player to make 200 goal contributions in Manchester United's history.

June 2026: End of New Contract with Manchester United

On April 1, 2022, Bruno Fernandes signed a new contract with Manchester United which would keep him at the club until June 2026, with the option of a further year.