Jesus publicly criticises Fernandes after deploying him wide in Portugal's 1-0 win over Wales

Bruno Fernandes was publicly criticised by Portugal head coach Jorge Jesus after being deployed as a left-sided forward in Portugal’s 1-0 UEFA Nations League Group D win over Wales at the Estadio Jose Alvalade in Lisbon on Thursday.

Joao Felix, playing centrally in the role Fernandes typically occupies for Manchester United, scored the only goal of the game in the first half to give the reigning Nations League champions all three points. Fernandes, 32, was substituted for Joao Neves in the 90th minute, and Jesus was blunt in his post-match assessment.

“Every game has its own story,” Jesus told RTP. “With Ruben Amorim, he played like that. It’s a position he knows perfectly. The only difference is that, defensively, he has to drop deeper. He could have been better with the ball. The team needed him more.”

The criticism will sting given the context of Fernandes’ recent club form. Since joining United in 2020, he has recorded 111 goals and 106 assists, captained the side since July 2023, and last season broke the Premier League single-season assist record before being named PFA Player of the Year. He also scored a hat-trick in a 5-2 win over Ipswich Town last month.

The positional debate is a familiar one for Fernandes at international level. Under former Portugal manager Roberto Martinez, he was regularly asked to operate wider rather than in his preferred No. 10 role. The same pattern emerged under ex-United manager Ruben Amorim, who used Fernandes either as an inverted left winger or in a deeper midfield pivot — a shift widely seen as diminishing his effectiveness before Amorim was eventually sacked. Fernandes rediscovered his best form under Michael Carrick’s system, which restored him to the No. 10 position.

Fernandes pushed back gently on the idea that he was simply playing out of position. “If you notice, I was rarely on the wing,” he said. “Defensively, yes, tracking back, pressing the full-back in higher positions on the pitch. Otherwise, it’s very much about what the manager’s idea is, which is to have a player inside who can link up play, drop deep to play, also support the striker and the second striker, create a triangle in the middle and on the wings, help in both areas. That’s what I did. The manager asked me for this role in this game. He’s already told me I can play in different positions with him.”