Bruno recalls emotional captaincy announcement

During an intimate chat with 100 of our most-dedicated digital collectible holders, our midfield general recalled the proud moment of his ascension to club captain, detailing how Ten Hag “wanted to do it in front of everyone" before admitting "it wasn’t even a question” of whether or not he would accept the honour.

Since he assumed the role in July, our new skipper has been in excellent form. He was named our Player of the Month for August, earning 46 per cent of the votes. However, Fernandes revealed it was his previous performances as stand-in captain that convinced the manager he was the right man for the job.

In explaining how Ten Hag communicated the show of faith, the Portugal international said: "He showed me why he was choosing me, why he was happy with everything I’ve done in the past.

"It was good to hear from him and even better to know I was going to be the new captain of the club."

Here are just a few of the other questions digital collectible holders asked our new captain...

What did it feel like lifting your first trophy for Manchester United and what went through your mind a few seconds before holding up the cup? - CROSSKING7
"It was really special: obviously it was something that you dream about, lifting trophies. With it being Manchester United, at Wembley, such a special stadium for the fans and players."

How did you feel and what went through your head when you were told you were going to become captain of Manchester United? - Bran.94
"A mix of emotions. I wanted to cry at the same time, with joy of course. You dream of these things, but you never think you can achieve them. Portugal and Manchester United have a connection through Cristiano, so for me having looked up to him as a player and then getting to this place, I am extremely happy. Being the captain of this club is above my dreams."

What has been the best goal of your career? - Birdie
"My favourite one was against İstanbul Başakşehir at home in the Champions League. From a corner, the ball came out of the box and without thinking for a second, I just smashed it into the goal. I like the way I struck the ball. It was a pretty good goal for me as the pace on the ball, balance of my body and all of the bodies in front of the goal was not easy, but from a technical ability, it was pretty difficult to get right."

During the international break, Fernandes played a starring role for Portugal with a goal and three assists in an emphatic 9-0 win over Luxembourg in his country's Euro 2024 qualifier. United fans will be hoping the talismanic playmaker carries his form to Old Trafford for Brighton and Hove Albion's visit this Saturday.

United have revolutionised the idea of football memorabilia through our latest digital collectible project. As well as commemorating the Brighton game, just the third home league game since Fernandes became captain, fans can unlock the chance to win exclusive benefits like signed kits, and a VIP trip to Old Trafford to watch United play.

To have a chance to claim rewards, you need to grab this weekend’s Man United vs Brighton’s collectible before Saturday 3pm BST.

You can get yours by clicking the image below or by heading straight to collectibles.manutd.com and following the steps below.

1. SIGN IN TO THE COLLECTIBLES WEBSITE
Let's start with a visit to collectibles.manutd.com, where you click Sign In, Use Social and finally your choice of Google, Facebook or Twitter account.

2. CREATE YOUR FREE DIGITAL WALLET
Signing in with your chosen social account will create an online wallet where you can store all the matchday tokens you claim throughout 2023/24. How many will you have by the end of the season? Why not challenge your friends and see who can build the biggest collection.

3. COLLECT NOW
Click this button on the collectibles.manutd.com homepage to find the latest token, and again on the next page to unlock and add it to your digital wallet. Then you're done! But remember, you won't be able to add the Brighton one after kick-off, so please click 'Collect Now' before 15:00 BST.

TERMS & CONDITIONS

Manchester United’s officially licensed Digital Collectibles, powered by Tezos and brought to you by Tezos ecosystem companies, are a form of cryptoasset. Manchester United Digital Collectibles have been issued as a collectible item and not an investment. However, it is important that you keep in mind that: 

1. Manchester United Digital Collectibles are not currently regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in the UK and are not covered by the Financial Ombudsman Service or the Financial Services Compensation Scheme;  

2. the value of Manchester United Digital Collectibles is variable and can go down as well as up; 

3. tax may be payable on any profits made on the sale of Manchester United Digital Collectibles; and

4. for those Digital Collectibles which require purchase, the decision to purchase Manchester United Digital Collectibles requires careful thought and consideration. You should seek independent financial advice if you are in doubt. You should not purchase any cryptoassets if you do not fully understand the nature of your purchase and the risks involved.