Bruno Fernandes: 'People have an opinion about me and I can't change that', says United captain in BBC interview

Bruno Fernandes said people are entitled to their views of him and he cannot change those opinions, in an interview for a new BBC series that examines the personalities behind football's biggest names.

The Manchester United captain, who joined the club five years ago and has scored 99 goals for the Red Devils, spoke to BBC Sport's Kelly Somers in April for The Football Interview. The series, which will run on BBC iPlayer, BBC Sounds, the BBC Sport website and on BBC One after Match of the Day, explores mindset, motivation, defining moments and personal reflections.

"People have an opinion about me and I can't change that," Fernandes said, adding that freedom of opinion is part of what makes life varied and interesting. He said he does not judge people until he knows them and accepts that perceptions are often formed by what is seen on the pitch, in interviews or on television.

Fernandes described his younger self as "a dreamer" and "very passionate" about football, recalling that he kept a ball under his arm and would rush from school to the pitch. He said his first organised side was Infesta, where he began as a futsal player and was fast-tracked into training with older players. Those early challenges, he said, forced him to develop mentally and cope with adversity.

He named family as the biggest influence on his career, saying his parents never let him believe he could not achieve his goals while also keeping him grounded. Fernandes credited a manager at Udinese, Francesco Guidolin, with a formative role in his development, saying Guidolin made him play and taught him that reaching the top level requires suffering and discipline.

Fernandes reflected on consistency as the hardest trait to maintain on the field. "Being consistent, I think," he said, adding that players must remain steady both with and without the ball and always prioritise the team. He said his focus in matches is to remember every detail trained during the week so his muscle memory can take over during split-second decisions.

Asked to choose a player to take a decisive Champions League penalty, Fernandes picked Cristiano Ronaldo, citing the Portuguese forward's long record of performing under pressure. He also said he would have liked to play against Zinedine Zidane and Ronaldinho, calling Ronaldinho "my first love in football" and praising the former Brazil forward's joy and effectiveness on the ball.

Fernandes discussed how he manages nerves, saying he feels most anxious before games and often more so when watching from the bench. He described the game against Lyon as one of his most nerve-wracking moments because of what it meant to the team, but said that once a match starts he focuses on the objectives and trained routines rather than on fear.

He spoke about fatherhood and public life, saying he would use an "invisibility cloak" to take his children to places they enjoyed without being interrupted by fans. Fernandes said he does not mind being recognised and that photographers or fans asking for pictures are part of the job, but he dislikes when family moments are invaded. He said he aims to raise his children with a balance of support and discipline, making them earn things and understand that life does not hand out rewards automatically.

When asked how his friends would describe him, Fernandes said he is passionate and gives his all in everything he does, noting a contrast between his intensity on the pitch and a calmer demeanour off it. He described himself as "much more calm away from the pitch" but still driven in personal pursuits.

The Football Interview aims to reveal the person behind the player through in-depth conversation about career highs and lows, influences and personal life. Fernandes' appearance is one of a series of conversations scheduled to drop on Saturdays via BBC platforms and to air on television following Match of the Day.

Fernandes said he is proud of what he has achieved, noting that as a child he never dreamed he would reach his current level and that his primary aim was simply to play and enjoy the sport. He stressed that team priorities come above individual accolades and reiterated the importance of preparation, mental focus and the small details that can change the outcome of matches.

On the subject of legacy, Fernandes acknowledged that fame is transient and that recognition will decline with time, but he said he remains a "normal person living a normal life" who welcomes fan interaction when it is respectful. He said he hopes to continue serving the team while helping younger players and passing on lessons learned from his family and his managers.

The interview provides a wide-ranging account of Fernandes' philosophy on football and life, linking personal anecdotes to professional routines and underlining the centrality of consistency and team-first thinking to his approach. It also underscores his acceptance that public perception is outside his control and reflects his effort to balance a high-profile career with family life.