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Portuguese midfielder Bruno Fernandes revealed that he has backed his compatriot Cristiano Ronaldo over arch-rival Lionel Messi since his younger days. The 26-year-old, for this reason, always considered Manchester United to be his 'dream club'.
Fernandes followed the footsteps of his idol, Cristiano Ronaldo, by moving from Sporting CP to Manchester United. The creative midfielder had an immediate impact at Old Trafford, endearing himself to the Red Devils' faithful with his surreal ability and winning mentality.
The Manchester United star revealed that while he was always team Cristiano Ronaldo, his brother was team Lionel Messi.
The two football greats have divided opinion and have been at the heart of several debates all over the world. They combined to win a staggering eleven Ballons d'Or between them and have reigned supreme as the two best players in the world.
Although it doesn't come as much of a surprise that Bruno picked his compatriot Cristiano Ronaldo over Lionel Messi, he delivered a fascinating insight into his childhood and his earliest memories of the football icons.
Manchester United star Bruno reveals his loyalty to team Cristiano Ronaldo over team Lionel Messi
Speaking to The Players Tribune about his allegiance in football's most heated debate — Cristiano Ronaldo vs Lionel Messi — Fernandes began;
"This was the time of young Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo and the peak of Ronaldinho. Everywhere you went, kids would be having arguments about who was the best, and of course it was no different with me and my brother. Who is gonna win the Ballon d’Or this year? Who scores better goals? Who is the GOAT? I was always Team Cristiano Ronaldo. My brother was always Team Lionel Messi."
The Manchester United maestro recollected an incident from his childhood when his father took him to a Nike store and asked him and his brother to pick out two jackets. Fernandes knew where his loyalty was at an early age as he picked a Manchester United jacket due to his icon Cristiano Ronaldo's influence.
Fernandes continued,
"One Christmas, my brother and I went to Switzerland to stay with my dad. He was living there for work at the time. This was before the internet made it so easy to buy kits from all over the world. In Portugal, you couldn’t always find Premier League kits, and if you could, they were really expensive."
"One day, we went into a Nike shop and our dad let us pick out two jackets. This was a big decision, you know? My brother chose a yellow Barcelona one because of Lionel Messi. And for me… well, I am proud to say that even back then I was a man of sophistication."
"I chose Man Utd, of course. I still remember that jacket so clearly. Blue with a single white stripe and little bit of red. Because of Cristiano, my dream team in England was [Manchester] United."
Fernandes has not only accomplished of dream of playing alongside Cristiano Ronaldo but is also a fan favourite at Manchester United, the club where the 35-year-old made his name. The Portuguese legend won the first of his five Ballons d'Or and UEFA Champions Leagues during his spell at Old Trafford.
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are set to reignite their legendary rivalry in the upcoming edition of the Champions League as Juventus and Barcelona are scheduled to face each other in the group stage. The pair haven't faced each other in a competitive fixture since the Portuguese left Real Madrid.
Fernandes could potentially face his idol should Manchester United qualify from a very tricky group.
Also read: 5 Football superstars who picked Cristiano Ronaldo over Lionel Messi
