Forget Cristiano Ronaldo: Bruno Fernandes is Portugal's most important player

6th top goalscorer 

Bruno Fernandes inspired Portugal to World Cup qualification with an emphatic 9-1 win over Armenia. After Cristiano Ronaldo was sent off in a surprise defeat to Ireland in midweek, Portugal required just a point against the minnows to secure automatic qualification but they dispatched them in style.

Portugal has the sixth most valuable squad in the world and their attacking talents flourished against Armenia. PSG midfielder João Neves also scored a hat-trick but Fernandes was the star of the show, wearing the armband in Ronaldo’s absence. The Manchester United captain also netted a hat-trick and provided an assist to highlight why he’s arguably Portugal's most important player.

Is Bruno Fernandes Portugal’s most important player?

Ronaldo’s suspension revived the debate over whether Roberto Martínez’s side are a more cohesive attacking unit without their record goalscorer. The 40-year-old is unquestionably Portugal’s greatest ever player and he’s still scored some crucial goals across the last 18 months but he’s no longer at the peak of his powers. There’s a tendency for players to always try to find Ronaldo, given his profile, and he absorbs too much of the focus when constructing attacks. Fernandes often flourishes most when Ronaldo is absent and there’s more dynamism in Portugal's front three. Gonçalo Ramos deputised for Ronaldo against Armenia but it was Fernandes that shone brightest.

The 31-year-old benefitted from receiving penalty duties as he netted twice from the spot to take his tally to 28 goals for his country - which propelled him to Portugal’s sixth top goalscorer in history. Fernandes is renowned for his creativity and he’s now impressively provided 37 goal contributions in his last 40 games for his country. The attacking midfield is the fulcrum of this Portugal side and it was telling that he missed the shock defeat to Ireland.

The view from Portugal on Bruno Fernandes

Ronaldo could potentially miss Portugal’s opening game, or two, if FIFA decided to hand the Real Madrid legend a longer suspension. It’s difficult to envisage Martínez possessing the courage to drop him for his starting eleven but Fernandes is a guaranteed starter. And Gonçalo Tristão Santos, Transfermarkt’s Area Manager in Portugal, admits Fernandes’ influence is undeniable.

“Fernandes is, as of today, one of the best players in the Portuguese national team,” said Santos. “His influence is easy to see on the pitch: we’re talking about a midfielder who, in 85 caps for Portugal, already has 28 goals and 24 assists. It’s impossible to imagine a Portugal starting eleven without him. The Portuguese national team has many strong attacking and midfield options, but he is untouchable in Martínez’s side and it’s not hard to see why: he is a hugely influential player and, with him on the pitch, Portugal simply plays better.”