Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has claimed the top spot in a stunning football ranking, a new study has revealed.
Fernandes hitting a new level
Fernandes has been a mainstay at United since joining the club in January 2020 from Sporting CP. He was a key figure under Ole Gunnar Solskjær and Erik ten Hag – a trend that has continued under Ruben Amorim, who considers the playmaker one of his top lieutenants. ‘
As United faltered last season and finished a lowly 15th place, Fernandes was one of the very few positives. He registered an impressive 15 goals and as many assists on his way to winning the club’s Player of the Season and Players’ Player of the Season awards.
He has mostly been deployed in a deeper midfield position this term but the Portugal international hasn’t skipped a beat, still proving himself to be the most influential player on the team.
An ever-reliable presence, Fernandes’ goal and assist during Monday’s 4-4 draw with Bournemouth took his tally for the campaign to five goals and seven assists in 16 top-flight appearances.
Fernandes’s chance creation has always been stellar, but a new layer of calm and composure in his play is proving crucial in steadying the club and guiding them out of a difficult period.
Most chances created by Premier League season over the last six seasons:
🗓️ 2020/2021 — Bruno Fernandes
🗓️ 2021/2022 — Alexander-Arnold
🗓️ 2022/2023 — Bruno Fernandes
🗓️ 2023/2024 — Bruno Fernandes
🗓️ 2024/2025 — Bruno Fernandes
🗓️ 2025/2026 — Bruno Fernandes pic.twitter.com/SkScqefHOm
— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) December 17, 2025
A study conducted by the CIES Football Observatory has named Fernandes the most physically robust outfield player in terms of minutes played in official matches (club and national team) over the past three years.
Fernandes leading the way
No outfield player has chalked up more minutes in world football than Fernandes over the past three years, the CIES Football Observatory has confirmed.
His near-perfect attendance record, clearly demonstrated by the data, highlights his reliability and fitness.
Fernandes has notched an outstanding 16,880 minutes from 192 matches for club and country – more than any footballer worldwide over the last three years excluding goalkeepers.
Real Madrid midfielder Fede Valverde comes closest to Fernandes with 16,428 minutes, having played seven more games than the United skipper.
Benfica’s Nicolas Otamendi (16,310 minutes), Palmeiras’ Gustavo Gomez (16,040 minutes) and Wolves’ Jhon Arias (15,864) round up the top five.
Fernandes and his teammates are next in action on Sunday when they go away to Aston Villa.
Featured image Jan Kruger via Getty Images
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