Bruno Fernandes Talks 'Idol' Cristiano Ronaldo, 'Incredible' Old Trafford Crowd

Manchester United midfielder Bruno Fernandes has said he views Cristiano Ronaldo as an "idol" and has spoken of how the forward welcomed him into the Portugal setup. 

Fernandes has developed into one of the most exciting attacking midfielders in the game over the past couple of seasons and has cemented his place in the international squad as a result.

Speaking to Cronache Di Spogliatoio (h/t Sam France of Goal), Fernandes outlined how Ronaldo helped him when he made his senior debut for the Selecao in 2017:

"He welcomed me very well to the Portugal national team. We look at him as an idol; he has always been an idol for me. I followed his example, he is one of my favourites.

"When I was called up by Portugal, he came to me saying, 'You are doing a good job at Sporting, I like it.' Words like these make the difference."

While Fernandes made his debut for Portugal three years ago, the 2018-19 season was a breakthrough for the midfielder, and he developed a reputation as one of the fastest rising stars in European football.

Fernandes netted 20 league goals in the campaign, and speculation was rampant regarding a transfer ahead of the current term. He had to wait until January to get his big move to Manchester United, although the early indications are that it will be money well spent by the Red Devils.

Fernandes won the Premier League's February Player of the Month award:

The 25-year-old has been productive since arriving in Manchester:

In the same interview, Fernandes said how much he enjoys playing in front of his new fans at Old Trafford:

"At Old Trafford you warm up with nobody in the stands, you hear nothing in the tunnel, and then you enter the pitch and you hear an incredible noise. If you talk about stadiums that everyone knows, the most historic are San Siro and Old Trafford."

While it's early days at United for Fernandes, the impact he has been able to have will be exciting for supporters. Having Ronaldo as a sounding board and an example to follow will only help his transition to English football.

On the international stage, Fernandes may be the man to take the team forward:

Following in Ronaldo's footsteps would be a challenge to any player, though, given the Juventus star is rated as one of the best players of his generation. In addition to his many accomplishments with United, Real Madrid and the Bianconeri, he inspired Portugal to European Championship glory in 2016.

With Ronaldo and Fernandes, Portugal would have had high hopes of retaining their title this summer. However, a suspension of the competition appears to be inevitable due to the coronavirus pandemic.