Bruno Fernandes is undoubtedly Man Utd’s most important player, but his tactical “indiscipline” is often used against him, which Portugal manager Roberto Martinez says has a simple fix.
There is no doubt that when it comes to chance-creation, goals, and assists, Bruno Fernandes is head and shoulders above most of his Man Utd teammates.
It is not for nothing that Ange Postecoglou played the UEL final last year with a single goal of blanking Fernandes, knowing it would stifle the whole team.
However, there is a section of people who say that Fernandes suffers from tactical indiscipline, and Roberto Martinez says that United have a simple fix since he doesn’t do that for Portugal.
What does Bruno Fernandes have to do in 2026 to challenge for the Ballon d’Or?
Win the World Cup? Win the Premier League POTY? Break the assist record?
Bruno Fernandes Ballon d'Or Talking points graphic.
Credit: Getty Images.
Man Utd’s solution for Bruno Fernandes’ ‘runs everywhere’ issue
Before going into details, even this criticism of Fernandes is blown out of proportion, because if he was the reason behind United’s tactical indiscipline, they wouldn’t look so incompetent without him.
Having said that, there is some credence to the claim that United might be able to play more cohesively if Fernandes stuck to his role.
It’s especially visible when the opposing team is on the up, as Fernandes can go chasing after the ball without a plan, leading to easy access to space behind him with just a couple of passes.
More United News
The contrast is striking because Fernandes doesn’t play like that for Portugal, where he is at his devastating best as the No. 10, and a part of a solid structure without the ball.
The fix, as per Portugal manager Roberto Martinez, lies in surrounding Fernandes with more “captains” and leaders so that he doesn’t feel he has to go the extra mile to make a difference.
Speaking on The Overlap, he said: “I do [think Fernandes plays more disciplined for Portugal]. Just because it becomes a little bit easier with Portugal.
“You have captains everywhere and players who are top for their clubs. He’s a player who is constantly making decisions on how he can affect the game.
“Then it is in his nature to adjust and adapt. In international football, you normally come up against lower-ranked teams, so you are more in control.”
Fernandes is already trusting teammates more at Man Utd
It isn’t a coincidence that some of Fernandes’ best games in a United shirt came when he was playing alongside players like Marcus Rashford and Paul Pogba.
How worried should United be about Bruno Fernandes’ release clause?
Bruno Fernandes release clause graphic
Getty Images
Fernandes’ mentality is such that he wants to win at all costs, so it naturally drives him to frustration when he doesn’t see that in teammates.
He admitted as much in an explosive interview last year, and his tactical indiscipline is a result of wanting the ball back as soon as possible.
It’s not ideal, but as Martinez says, United can fix this by surrounding him with quality he can trust to make a difference.
In Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha, for example, he already puts a lot of trust and is routinely rewarded for it.
That’s why Fernandes is on pace to break the Premier League assist record this season, because he trusts his teammates to score the chances he creates.
United can never have Portugal’s luxury of facing “lower-ranked teams”, but they can definitely surround him with more quality that frees him mentally and physically.
Join Our Newsletter
Receive a digest of our best United content each week direct to your mailbox