Portugal's Bruno Fernandes on the magic of the number eight shirt and dreaming of EURO glory

It doesn't take a genius to work out Bruno Fernandes' favourite number. Not only does the Portugal midfielder wear the number eight for club and country, but it has also been eight years since the Seleção famously won their one and only UEFA EURO title in 2016, beating hosts France 1-0 in the final in Paris.

In an interview with EURO2024.com, the 29-year-old discusses his relationship with the number eight, playing on synthetic pitches in his youth and his dream of inspiring Portugal to another trophy in Germany.

On his special relationship with the number eight

Nowadays, numbers and positions aren't the same as before. In the past, we were used to seeing numbers from one to 11. Since the start of my career, I've always liked the number eight, especially between the Under-15s to the U17s, because that's when I started playing more as a midfielder.

The connection with the number eight comes from the fact that my father wore it, due to being born on the eighth [day of the month]. It's a combination of factors. I was born on 8 September, so the connection starts with the day I was born.

On wearing the number eight for Portugal

In the national team, we had a player I idolised for a few years because of his position: João Moutinho. Especially when I was younger, I used to look up to him because of the way he played the game and his intelligence. Once I started out with Portugal, I had the fortune, the pleasure and the privilege of playing with him.

The first time I wore the number was because João was suspended for a game. I knew the number eight shirt was his and that he would probably give it to someone else if nobody asked for it. After that, I bided my time until João stopped playing, and I was able to start wearing the number eight myself.

On his early playing days

One of the main things you learn playing on synthetic turf is that you can't be afraid of anything. You take risks, you always want to show more and you're never satisfied. You also don't want to lose, because when you play on synthetic turf you play against five [players] and there are people on the outside waiting to get on with another team, so you don't want to lose.

We learn competitiveness, the desire and the will to win, to improve and to do more. But, of course, much of what I did as a kid playing on synthetic turf I still do in matches. The passion is the same, the will is the same, and this huge 'addiction' of playing football is still intact.

On his desire to win the EURO

[I'd like to win] very much, obviously! I'd like to live that moment [in 2016] in a different way, to be able to give all Portuguese people and all kids who dream of playing in the Seleção one day that same joy they gave me in 2016, so that they can dream of playing for the Seleção and doing great things for our country.