Bruno Fernandes, captain of Manchester United, was praised by Portugal’s head coach Roberto Martinez for his important part in the team’s victory. Martinez’s squad won their seventh Euro 24 qualifying game, 3-2 against Slovakia, and are already in the tournament.

Portugal resumed their Group J dominance with a 0-5 win against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Monday.

In eight matches, Fernandes’s country annihilated their opponents, scoring 32 goals while allowing only two.

The captain of the Red Devils has been instrumental for Portugal in all eight of their qualification games. So far, Fernandes has tallied five goals and seven helpers.

Martinez told Record (via Manchester Evening News) on Fernandes’ wide range of skills and attributes. The man spoke thusly:

Brunо Fernаndes is а brilliаnt plаyer whо cаn аdjust tо the strengths оf his teаmmаtes аnd а cоnsummаte prоfessiоnаl with seven аssists tо his nаme. While his executiоn is excellent, he requires instructiоn tо grаsp the gаme’s premise. I find his wоrk tо be technicаlly superiоr аnd I greаtly аdmire his cоncept fоr the gаme. He mаy plаy multiple rоles, prоvides stаbility аnd equilibrium, аnd is cruciаl tо оur success.

Before the start of the new season, United manager Erik ten Hag named Fernandes as captain of the club. The 29-year-old has been reliable for the Red Devils ever since he joined the team in the first month of 2020. In 195 games for the Red Devils, Fernandes has scored 66 goals and added 56 assists.Unfortunately for United, the Portuguese international had less of an impact this season than he had hoped. Fernandes tallied just two goals and two assists in 10 total games for the Red Devils across all competitions.

Many have criticized the 29-year-old’s play, and some have even criticized Ten Hag for starting him on the right wing. However, Fernandes made an effort to set an example for the team, such as in United’s 0-1 Premier League victory at Turf Moor against Burnley. The Portuguese forward scored a spectacular game-winner that gave his team a much-needed victory.

It’s no coincidence that Fernandes’ play this season has mirrored the club’s struggles. Six of the Red Devils’ last 11 matches in all competitions have ended in defeat. Once club football resumes following the international break, the United captain will try to help revive his team’s form.