How does Ronaldo inspire Fernandes to be a better player?

Manchester United star Bruno Fernandes has opened up on how his ‘favorite player’ Cristiano Ronaldo has inspired him.

Bruno Fernandes has revealed how Cristiano Ronaldo’s work ethic, mentality, and desire to be better inspired him for his own career.

It’s no secret Fernandes has followed the Portuguese and Manchester United legend Ronaldo from a young age, and set out to emulate his idol’s impressive feats.

But the 26-year-old has now given a deeper overview on how Ronaldo’s hunger to improve and ability to shrug off setbacks has been a source of motivation for him.

“Growing up, everyone knows Cristiano was my favorite player,” Fernandes told the club’s website.

“I think it was a little bit of everything. When Cristiano began to take his first steps in the national team, it was in the Euros in our home country [Euro 2004], so I was nine years old.

“That year stays with everyone because we lost the final in Portugal, we saw him crying after the final, he was a young boy who was starting to shine and from there I started to watch him.

These 𝗧𝗪𝗢! 🤩🇵🇹@B_Fernandes8 🤝 @Cristiano #MUFC #PhotoOfTheDay pic.twitter.com/6qUM2Ja7sU

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) June 4, 2021

“It wasn’t because he plays in my position because that wasn’t the case, but it was the way he worked every day, the mentality he had, the capacity he had to give 100 per cent in every game at a high level, for me it was like a motivation, like you always have to do better.

“He was scoring goals every game, but game after game he was still trying to improve, get better.

“My mentality comes a little bit from understanding what sort of player you want to be. Do you want to be that player who has a good season, and maybe goes up and down, up and down, or do you want to be the player who always wants to be at the top? Okay, you will have bad games for sure, everyone has – Cristiano has had bad games, 100 per cent – but the point is, coming back from a bad game.

“Coming back with the mentality that is, ‘okay I didn’t play well in that last game and I really need to do well in this one’. The mentality to do better day after day is really important for me. I’m improving a lot because of this, and that was my biggest motivation.”