Portuguese midfielder Bruno Fernandes made his first public statement since returning to his country on Thursday following their last-16 tie in the FIFA World Cup.
«Sad, frustrated and disillusioned. This group of players had my expectations high, not only for the quality but also for the incredible group we have built over the years,» Fernandes wrote on social media.
«Thank you to all the players, the technical team and all the staff who guided and helped us every day during the World Cup. To all Portuguese: thank you so much for your support and faith.»
Fernandes, who assisted 23 goals and scored nine times for Manchester United last season, was named Premier League Player of the Year in 2025-26. However, he performed poorly at the World Cup, with just one assist in five of their matches in the tournament.
In the round of 16, Spain rode a late winner, while Nations League champions Portugal crashed out in the pre-quarterfinals. Fernandes did not hold back after the match.
«There’s no point in talking about it now because we haven’t done the World Cup anymore, but it was a missed opportunity. Every opportunity is a missed opportunity because when we get to a World Cup, everyone wants to win. We’re no different – it’s been the same in every World Cup that Portugal has been in – but it was a missed opportunity,» he said after the match.
«It’s clear that we were eliminated by a great team. We lost to one of the favorites to win the World Cup, just as we were. The overall assessment cannot be positive. That would only be the case if we had made it to the end, and we didn’t.»
Published on July 10, 2026
