Man Utd star Bruno Fernandes reveals he was so broke his futsal referee wife had to pay for cinema tickets and pizza
BRUNO FERNANDES has revealed that he was once so broke while chasing his footballing dream that his wife used to pay for their dates.
The Portuguese midfielder, 29, now captains Manchester United and pockets £240,000-a-week at Old Trafford.
As he prepares to lead out the Red Devils in the FA Cup Final tomorrow against neighbours City, the star has penned an open letter to supporters on The Players’ Tribune.
Fernandes recalled the difficulties of trying to make it as a footballer after leaving his homeland for Italy in 2012 as a youngster.
After struggling at Novara and then Udinese, his impressive one season spell at Sampdoria led to Sporting Lisbon moving to bring him back to Portugal in 2017.
That was when his career reached lift-off – and United made their £55m move for him in January 2020.
But despite all of the problems he faced, the beautiful Ana has been by his side as his biggest supporter ever since they began dating.
And she even funded their relationship at times by refereeing futsal matches to get cash to pay for their dates to the cinema.
Fernandes said: “Ana has been with me on this ride since we were 16, 17, 18 years old.
“We met as teenagers, and when we first started dating, I wasn’t making any money as a footballer, and she had a nice job working as a futsal referee on the weekends.
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“She used to do three or four matches in a row on a Saturday, and then we would always go to the cinema on Sundays.
“I personally didn’t have much money at the time so Ana was the one who had to pay for our movie tickets. Same with going out to dinner. Even at the pizza shop, she had to pay.”
Fernandes continued: “When I moved to Italy at 17, I lived at the training ground for the first year, and then she followed me at 18, when she finished high school.
“From day one, we have pursued this dream together.”
He revealed how she reassured him as he cried after being let go by Udinese and reassured him to continue pursuing his dream.
Fernandes then explained how he hung up the phone after completing his move to United and hugged Ana as he burst into tears of joy.
He added: “Look at where we are now…. The tough times, they have never broken us.”
Fernandes and childhood sweetheart Ana married in 2015 and have two children together, seven-year-old daughter Matilde and Goncalo, aged four.
However, during this same piece, he dropped a huge hint that he could leave United amid the club’s turmoil.
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SunSport exclusively revealed that Fernandes is considering a summer move after four-and-a-half seasons this summer.
He recently said that he will think about his future after this summer’s European Championship to spark speculation.
Now he says the club’s standards must be set much higher for him to stay.
Fernandes, who has lifted just one trophy since joining United, wrote: “I just want my expectations to fit with the expectations of the club.
“If you go talk to any fan, they will tell you the same thing. We want to compete for the league.
“We want to be playing Champions League football. We want to be in cup finals. That is the standard.
“That is what I want. That is what you all deserve.”
SunSport's verdict on Man Utd flops
Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos have a busy summer ahead to get Man Utd's squad in order for next season. Below SunSport gives it verdict on how they should deal with the Red Devils flops this summer.
Andre Onana – STAY: After a dodgy start at Old Trafford Onana has proven to be one of the more reliable members of the squad this season despite being peppered with shots constantly.
Altay Bayindir – GO: Reports in February suggested Bayindir was unhappy with his bit part role at Man Utd amid interest from Turkish giants Galatasaray. If profit can be made on a sale then it should be done.
Tom Heaton – STAY: Veteran goalkeeper Heaton, 38, is a reliable back-up and is on a relatively small wage at the club. So long as he is happy it makes sense to keep him.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka – GO: Wan-Bissaka, 26, has never managed to make the right-back position his own. With his contract up in 2025 it makes sense to cash in now.
Diogo Dalot – STAY: Dalot, 26, has been one of Man Utd’s most consistent performers this season.
Raphael Varane – GO: If it wasn’t for his injury record there would be a strong shout to keep Varane, but costs need to be cut to allow the squad to be freshened up.
Harry Maguire – GO: Maguire has showed he has the right character to be at Man Utd but overall ability and desired profile are another matter, with Maguire too slow to play in a high line defence.
Lisandro Martinez – STAY: Martinez, 26, is second to none in terms of build up play. He needs a long-term defensive partner on the right side and to cut out the injuries which have plagued him this season.
Jonny Evans – GO: Veteran campaigner Evans could easily be on the stay list if he was only going to be a bit part player. But he has shown his advanced years at times this season.
Victor Lindelof – GO: Lindelof, 29, has been reliable if not unremarkable in his Man Utd career. He has one year left on his contract so should be moved on if a decent transfer fee can be got for him.
Willy Kambwala – STAY: He should be given the opportunity to mature for a few years behind a senior CB pairing before stepping into the first team as a starter or being moved on.
Luke Shaw – GO: One of the Premier League’s best left-backs when fit, Shaw has been a good servant when available. But alas that has been his Achilles heel once again this season.
Tyrell Malacia – STAY: Malacia, 24, was decent enough to earn some merit in his first season at Man Utd before injury ended his season and inadvertently led to his second season being a write off.
Sofyan Amrabat – GO: Amrabat, 27, looked like a world beater at the Qatar World Cup with Morocco. But he’s had an underwhelming season in England and his loan spell will almost certainly not be made permanent.
Casemiro – GO: An alarming physical decline has seen him turn from key star to burden. If a club is willing to buy the 32-year-old – who has two more years on his contract – then United should snatch their hand off.
Christian Eriksen – GO: Eriksen proved a useful asset and Ineos should look to bring in another player with similar traits, but frankly his legs have looked gone towards the end of this season.
Kobbie Mainoo – STAY: The first of the so-called untouchables, Mainoo has been a rare glimmer of hope in the Red Devils midfield this season.
Mason Mount – STAY: Mount can be given the benefit of the doubt until summer 2025 at least after a debut season riddled with injury.
Scott McTominay – STAY: McTominay, 27, has proven himself to be a brilliant plan B off the bench this season, and that is exactly why Ineos should look to keep him.
Bruno Fernandes – STAY: Man Utd’s best player since his arrival just over four years ago, Fernandes, 29, remains second-to-none when it comes to creating chances while his tenacity boosts those around him.
Antony – GO: There’s a case to argue that Antony may be the worst pound-for-pound signing in Premier League history. Despite some memorable moments he simply isn’t Man Utd quality.
Anthony Martial – GO: Ultimately Martial needs to be let go when his deal runs out this summer after an appalling injury record of late.
Marcus Rashford – STAY: As easy as it would be to say Rashford should leave the club this summer, it is difficult to look at the market and find many available players capable of scoring 30 goals a season.
Alejandro Garnacho – STAY: Another third of the untouchables trio, Garnacho has made the right-wing his own since coming into it. He’s a raw talent but has shown he has the quality to improve.
Rasmus Hojlund – STAY: A slow burner in his first Man Utd season, the 21-year-old has often been starved of supply which has led to him being unable to get the goals his movement and unselfish play often merits.
Amad Diallo – STAY: In the fleeting moments he has been on the pitch for Man Utd this season, Diallo has looked dangerous and exciting. He should be given a chance to flourish with some proper chances in the first team across a whole season.