Photo by Richard Sellers/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images
Photo by Richard Sellers/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images
I feel that Matheus Cunha and another first-team Manchester United star represented both the ‘highs’ and the ‘lows’ of this summer’s World Cup.
I watched Matheus Cunha at his first World Cup ever and the 27-year-old Brazilian forward’s strong form carried over from his debut season at Manchester United.
Cunha started four of Brazil’s five matches and netted three times before Carlo Ancelotti’s men crashed out of the last 16 at the hands of Norway last month.
I think Cunha will return to the Carrington training complex with an added layer of confidence, but I feel like I can’t say the same for Bruno Fernandes at the moment.
READ MORE: The three reasons Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was ‘absolutely unbelievable’ and underrated outside of Man Utd fans
Getty Images
I think Man Utd’s pre-season will be the first sign of how impacted Bruno Fernandes has been by Portugal’s World Cup experience
Bruno Fernandes has returned to Manchester after the World Cup and the 31-year-old Manchester United captain is set to be back in training this week.
I watched Fernandes at the World Cup this summer and I saw the United midfielder receive his fair share of criticism after Portugal’s disappointing campaign.
Fernandes did not score during the FIFA tournament in North America and only walked away with one assist from his five appearances for his country.
I felt a lot for the former Sporting CP midfielder after an ageing Cristiano Ronaldo and the woeful tactics of Roberto Martinez dominated the headlines around Portugal.
READ MORE: Two decades on, Michael Carrick could finally be the man to find ‘perfect’ replacement for Man Utd’s ‘top player’
Bruno Fernandes of Portugal reacts during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round Of 16 match between Portugal and Spain at Dallas Stadium on July 06, 2026 in Arlington, Texas.
Photo by Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images
Bruno Fernandes’ Portugal stats from the 2026 World Cup:
Appearances: four starts and one substitution
Goals: 0
Assists: 1
Minutes played: 394
Pass accuracy: 88.6 per cent (227/256)
Tackles won: six out of eight
I can see why the Portugal international was getting such a hard time after his stunning exploits under Michael Carrick in the second half of last season.
However, the aftermath of the World Cup carried over for Fernandes after the Red Devils skipper was on the receiving end of abuse on social media.
The Man Utd star shared a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, about his frustrations post-Portugal’s World Cup run and turned off the replies.
I know Fernandes has had time away to recover from the World Cup, but I feel his experience at the tournament was the opposite to Matheus Cunha’s with Brazil.
I — and many other United fans — can only hope that Fernandes has been unfazed by Portugal’s World Cup run and bounces back ahead of the new campaign.