In the last decade, Manchester United has made some questionable signings. Yet, one such transfer single-handedly powered them through this turbulent period, the arrival of Bruno Fernandes in 2020. The creative midfielder is now a mainstay for both club and country. With Euro 2024 on the horizon, Fernandes is expected to play a key part in Portugal’s fortunes.

Yet, Bruno’s rise to the top wasn’t meteoric, and he didn’t have the luxury of playing for the best coaches or the finest teams. Then and now, the biggest supporter of the Portuguese Magnifico has been his wife, Ana Pinho. In fact, it was Ana who paid from her pocket for their dates early on. Although she has an active social media presence, little is known regarding their touching love story. But don’t worry as we got you covered.

Everything about Ana Pinho and her relationship timeline with Bruno Fernandes

Ana Pinho was born and raised in the town of Maia. She later attended the Boavista High School, where she met Bruno Fernandes when he was 17. This was followed by 8 years of courtship. The Portuguese midfielder had a humble beginning in terms of his soccer career. He played for lower-division sides like Sampdoria, Novara, and Udinese. Yet, beside him was Ana offering her support throughout.

In 2015, the couple decided to take their relationship to the next level and tied the knot. The wedding was a memorable affair attended by nearly 350 people. In the initial years of the marriage, Ana had to travel back and forth between Portugal and Italy to be with Bruno Fernandes. Later in 2017, the couple gave birth to a daughter Matilde and Ana settled in Portugal to attend to her child. In 2020, Bruno Fernandes signed for Manchester United, Ana too shifted to England.

The move to England was a game-changer for Bruno Fernandes’ career. Many lauded the midfielder’s creative ability, and he cemented his place among the soccer elite. Later, in 2022, the pair welcomed their second daughter Filipa. While things are pretty smooth for the midfielder now, this wasn’t always the case. There were times when Fernandes’ soccer dream looked like a lost cause. Fortunately, Ana was there to help him push through.

How Ana helped Fernandes in the ‘tough times’

Ahead of the FA Cup final against Manchester City last month, Bruno Fernandes paid an emotional tribute to Ana. The midfielder revealed how Ana paid for their movie tickets since he lacked the funds to do so. Fernandes said, “She had a nice job working as a futsal referee on the weekends. She used to do three or four matches in a row on a Saturday, and then we would always go to the cinema on Sundays.”

The biggest challenge for Bruno Fernandes came while in Udinese. The midfielder was not having the best of time. As such, during a team winner, the sporting director revealed the playmaker was surplus to the team’s requirements, with Ana beside. But, as always, Ana was there for him. Fernandes revealed, “Remember when I was crying in the hotel room? Remember what you told me? Keep going. This is your dream.] Look at where we are now…. The tough times, they have never broken us.”

Today Bruno Fernandes is cherishing his dream with Ana beside him. Can the Portuguese superstar make his family proud by lifting Euro 2024? Let’s wait and watch.