Under the theme “I am Portugal,” Portuguese football was the focus of Monday night’s Gala das Quinas de Ouro 2024 at Lisbon’s Centro Cultural de Belém, where prizes were given out for the “excellence of being Portuguese.”

The Portuguese Football Federation, in collaboration with the Players’ Union and the Coaches’ Association, took advantage of the lull in professional competitions and the concentration of national teams in the Football City to bring together not only the “cream” of Portuguese football but also futsal, beach soccer, and other sports that have improved Portugal’s reputation in recent years.

Portuguese football’s leading figures attended the ceremony, which began with the internationals Roberto Martínez called up for the upcoming Nations League commitments. Players like Rúben Dias, Diogo Costa, Vitinha, Bruno Fernandes, and Bernardo Silva were honored for their careers.

Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva, Manchester’s rivals but National Team partners, were on display at the Quinas de Ouro Gala in 2024. The City and United stars received recognition at the Belém Cultural Center.

The pair was challenged by Vasco Palmeirim, one of the evening’s presenters, with a historical fact: they both wore the Portugal shirt for the first time on the same day, December 4, 2012, during a match against Turkey.

I had never seen the Seleção before. For me, it was a significant turning point, and it was nice to experience it with Bernardo. In any sport or discipline, to be in the Seleção means to be among the top. Nothing is more fulfilling than being able to speak for our country”, highlighted Bruno Fernandes.

Bernardo Silva admits that he no longer experiences the anxiety of his early years. “We can handle these stressful situations in a different way because of our experience. However, I won’t lie or claim that when we play for Portugal in a European or World Cup, we don’t act like 10-year-old children in school. He admitted, “There are always chills that come from inside.”

Humberto Coelho, the vice-president of the Portuguese Football Federation and the captain of the National Team, presented the Quinas de Ouro trophy to Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva.

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