Manchester United star Bruno Fernandes has revealed that his famous goal celebration was actually inspired by his three-year-old daughter’s cheerfulness at home.
The 26-year-old playmaker has been a revelation since joining United in a £67m deal in January and was even awarded the Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year award after scoring 12 times in 20 outings.
With those 12 strikes – and another already in 2020/21 – United fans are starting to get used to seeing Fernandes’ trademark celebrations.
Bruno Fernandes’ trademark move is for his young daughter / James Williamson – AMA/Getty Images
Writing about his life and career so far for The Players’ Tribune, Fernandes explained the meaning behind covering his ears – all stemming from the joys of parenting – and why he chose not to make the move. Can’t escape.
“I like to come home after a match and hear, ‘I love you, but you really should have scored today. Good passing, yes. But too many chances were missed,'” Fernandes says with his criticism. Wrote while talking about the relationship.
“Sometimes I listen to it too. [criticism] From my daughter Matilde and she is only three!”
“But her criticism is a little different, you see. When she was very young, she started messing with me and my wife. We’d ask her to take out our toys or something, and she’d lick her ears. But she would put her hands up and pretend she wasn’t listening. ‘Blah, blah, blah, I can’t hear you, Dad.’
“I thought it was really funny, so I started celebrating my goals with my hands over my ears.
“Matilde used to watch me on TV and she started to understand that it meant something – that it was all for her. So now if I forget to do it, or even if the TV cameras do it to me. If you don’t catch it, then it’s one. As soon as she comes home, she asks me, ‘Dad, why didn’t you do that?’
“Haha, this is my life, you see?”
Earlier this month, the Portugal international announced the birth of his second child. Time will tell if he is forced to come up with an entirely new celebration.
Read Bruno Fernandes’ full piece on The Players’ Tribune