Bruno Fernandes said he started his career as a centre-back, then used a podcast appearance to explain why he still enjoys being pushed by stronger opponents. The Manchester United captain also picked out Alex Scott as a midfielder he rates, while a training story about Benjamin Šeško showed the same competitive streak.

Fernandes' defensive beginnings

Fernandes said he began in defence, and the detail fits the way he described his early game. "I started my career as a centre-back," he said, before adding: "Being the skinniest and the smallest, that was good for me because I had to use my brain to get ahead of the striker."

He went further when talking about growing up playing in the streets. "I was always one of the youngest, because my brother is five years older than me, so I was playing against him and his friends," Fernandes said. "I got used to getting beat but also to beating people who were stronger than me. So I'm never afraid to put my foot in or to go into duels."

That mindset also showed up in a training story from last season, when he was put into a 50-yard run with Šeško. Fernandes said he started two steps earlier, beat his highest top speed at 35.5 km/h, and still saw Šeško reach about 37 km/h by the finish. Even in a light podcast answer, the point was clear: he likes being measured against someone faster or stronger.

The praise for Alex Scott

Fernandes did not stop at self-description. Speaking to Metro, he said: "There is one player that I really like and that is Alex Scott from Bournemouth."

He then added: "I think he’s someone that could easily be up for that [the PFA Team of the Year]."

Scott has made 2 Premier League appearances this season and is carrying a 7.4 rating, which gives some weight to Fernandes' praise without turning it into anything bigger than it is. The Bournemouth midfielder has enough quality for a nod like that to land, and Fernandes' comments fit the tone of a player who notices midfield detail rather than just reputations.

The other headline, though, is still Fernandes himself. He sounds like someone who has never lost the habit of testing himself, whether that is against a centre-forward in training or in the way he talks about his own development. Bournemouth will keep getting more of those Scott links, but the more revealing part here is the United captain describing how he was formed.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →