Bruno Fernandes selects his Manchester United role models: Roy Keane, Paul Scholes, Cristiano Ronaldo, Michael Carrick
By Ben Morse
Updated 04/03/2026 at 16:33 GMT
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Bruno Fernandes has cemented himself as one of Manchester United's modern-day stars. Over his six years at Old Trafford, he has come to embody the characteristics that typify the legends that have come before him, which Fernandes describes as the "personality and desire to win games." In a sit-down discussion with United fans, Fernandes also picks the former players he looks up to.
Fernandes names his Man Utd midfield idols – but who made the grade?
Video credit: TNT Sports
Manchester United have no end of legendary figures. And the latest arguably adding their name to the list is current captain Bruno Fernandes.
Fernandes has been at Old Trafford since January 2020 when he arrived from Sporting CP, quickly blossoming into a central figure in United’s team.
Despite there being plenty of upheaval around the club since joining – players have come and gone, and so have managers – Fernandes has remained an ever-present in the heart of midfield.
Speaking to TNT Sports with Man Utd fans as part of The Red Devils' reminiscence sessions, the 31-year-old reflected on his six years in Manchester, recalling the characteristics he associated with United's icons and how he had "a lot of good midfielders to look up to".
Fernandes highlighted his current manager Michael Carrick, former captain Roy Keane, and Paul Scholes as three standout embodiments of the qualities a United midfielder should have.
For Carrick – who Fernandes stresses he did not pick just "because he’s my manager now" – it was his passing ability.
"Michael Carrick was someone that I would have loved to play together with just because I’ve trained with him when he was here with Ole [Gunnar Solskjaer] for a year, sometimes he’d come to the pitch and train with us," said Fernandes ahead of Man Utd's Premier League clash with Newcastle on March 4, live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
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'I was sure that Michael could be a great manager' - Fernandes praises Carrick's impact
Video credit: TNT Sports
"And his quality of the pass between the lines was something unbelievable, breaking the lines. For a No. 10, how quick a midfielder can be to control the ball and pass forward will give you time and space to either control it, either flick it, to make your decision."
On Keane, Fernandes said: "He was a player that all United fans always looked up to because he had that desire to win, that aggressiveness that a Man United player should have.
"He was someone who was always looking to defend his teammates, to have a go at the referee. These are the kind of players [who I looked up to]."
And as a Portuguese star playing for United, it’s hard for Fernandes to escape the impact Cristiano Ronaldo had on the club.
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'He cares about the football club' - Carrick says Fernandes is a team player
Video credit: TNT Sports
Both Fernandes and Ronaldo played for Sporting before moving to United. And with Fernandes 10 years Ronaldo’s junior, he remembers growing up watching Ronaldo burst onto the world stage.
"Obviously, Cristiano for me, it’s an easy one because he’s Portuguese, he’s the one that everyone from 2000 up," he said. "I’m born in 1994 but from that age up, everyone is looking at him, seeing him.
"And obviously, he won the Ballon d’Or with the club, something very special for the fans who were here. Then he came back and I’ll never forget the day he came back against Newcastle was an unforgettable day."
When is Newcastle United v Manchester United?
Newcastle United will host Manchester United in the Premier League on Wednesday, March 4, at St James’ Park.
Kick-off is at 20:15 UK time, with live coverage on TNT Sports 1 and discovery+ from 19:00.
How to watch Newcastle United v Manchester United
Newcastle United v Manchester United will be live on TNT Sports 1 and discovery+ with coverage starting at 19:00 UK time on Wednesday, March 4.
TNT Sports is available across all major TV platforms, offering a line-up of up to four TV channels (TNT Sports 1, TNT Sports 2, TNT Sports 3, TNT Sports 4), and up to six digital or red-button channels (TNT Sports 5 to 10), and TNT Sports Ultimate plus TNT Sports Box Office HD.
You can subscribe to TNT Sports through discovery+, BT, EE, Sky, and Virgin Media.
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For the latest information on which football matches are on TNT Sports, click here.
Here is the TNT Sports schedule and TV guide. And for the full Premier League schedule, click here.
Stream the Premier League, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Conference League, Men's and Women's FA Cup and more on TNT Sports and discovery+
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