In the Premier League era, the midfielder was chosen club captain this summer, making him the 12th player to receive the honor.
Bruno Fernandes explains what Erik ten Hag informed him about choosing him as Manchester United’s captain, saying it is above anything he could have imagined. Given that former captain Harry Maguire played a much reduced number of games last season, Ten Hag made the choice to name Fernandes the playmaker’s honorary captain full-time.
When questioned about how his manager broke the news, Fernandes said, “He showed me why he was choosing me, why he was happy with everything I’ve done in the past.” It was fantastic to hear from him, and even better to learn that I would be taking over as club captain.
Since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement, Fernandes has been regarded as United’s best acquisition. Surprisingly, he has never missed a game due to injury. A logical option and favorite to succeed the current captain, the 29-year-old was chosen because of his dependability and prior expertise.
Although the news was exciting, the former Sporting Lisbon captain cited Cristiano Ronaldo as an influence. When asked how receiving the honor made him feel, Fernandes responded, “A mix of feelings. At the same time, I wanted to cry—of course, with delight.
“You wish for these things, but you never believe you can make them a reality. Through Cristiano, Portugal and Manchester United are connected, so after admiring him as a player and reaching this point, I’m overjoyed. Beyond my wildest fantasies, I want to be this club’s captain.
In February, Fernandes and Maguire won their first trophy with United as they jointly won the League Cup at Wembley. Fernandes declared that he was thrilled to have realized this ideal, which he had in fact imagined.
“It was incredibly special,” he continued. “Lifting trophies is certainly something that you dream of. Wembley is such a wonderful place for the players and spectators, especially with it being Manchester United.”
