Fernandes on leadership: I run as much as I moan
Bruno Fernandes has never been one for half measures — and that blunt honesty is at the heart of his captaincy at Manchester United. Speaking on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, the Portuguese playmaker painted a vivid picture of how he leads: loud when needed, relentless in effort, and fiercely egalitarian off the pitch.
Leading by example, not by armband
Fernandes insists the armband didn’t change him; it simply formalised what he already was. “When Erik Ten Hag chose me to be captain, he knew what type of captain I was,” he said, stressing that his leadership is forged in action. On the training ground he gives everything, he moans when things go wrong, but — crucially — he runs more than he complains. That blend of visible effort and vocal standards, he believes, sets the tone for the whole squad.
Respect for everyone in the club
What stands out in Fernandes’s philosophy is humility. He refuses hierarchy beyond responsibility: everyone from the chefs and nutritionists to the backroom staff and players deserves the same basic respect. “No one is below and no one is above me,” he declared, while acknowledging the chain of command that comes with managerial roles. For Fernandes, leadership is as much about treating people right as it is about making tough calls.
A collective leadership model
Fernandes is clear that captaincy is not a solo act. He outlined a leadership group that includes Harry Maguire, Lisandro Martinez, Tom Heaton, Noussair Mazraoui and Diogo Dalot, with senior figures like Casemiro and Luke Shaw brought in when their voices are needed. From that core, a single message must radiate: standards are non-negotiable, and the path to success is mandatory for everyone.
Setting the tone, shaping the culture
In Fernandes’s view, captains must be louder personalities — not to dominate, but to clarify. The leadership group’s role is to stamp the club’s identity into daily routines and expectations. “This is the way, the path and what we have to have to play at this club,” he said, framing leadership as a blueprint rather than a slogan.
Bruno Fernandes’s captaincy is equal parts passion and principle: a fiery voice that runs harder than it complains, and a steady hand that insists respect and responsibility travel together.
