The Squawka Comparison Matrix allows you to compare up to five players or teams of your choice from across the world of football, and a huge range of competitions over the last 10 years.
Simply choose the players or teams you wish to compare and hit the ‘Edit Stats’ button and you can choose from a variety of different performance indicators. You will be able to opt to see basic stats such as goals scored and assists, or you can go far more in-depth to compare players on shot accuracy percentage, aerial duel success rate and ball recoveries among several others.
Kevin De Bruyne vs Bruno Fernandes: Career Statistics (2015/16 – Present)
These statistics stretch back to 2019/20, given that was the first season in which they both played in the Premier League.
You would assume De Bruyne would hold an advantage in this regard, with Fernandes having joined Manchester United midway through that campaign.
However, the Belgian’s extended periods of time on the treatment table are evident, as he has played 47 games less than the Portuguese (295) during that time.
Fernandes has scored more goals (103 to 67) from more shots (838 to 596), while creating over 100 chances (822) more than De Bruyne (702).
Yet, the latter has better when it comes to assists (107 to 86), crosses (1,641 to 1,433) and passing accuracy (81.73% to 78.34%). He has also lost possession 4,096 times compared to 5,531 from Fernandes.
De Bruyne also has significantly less space in his trophy cabinet. The mercurial midfielder is a six-time Premier League winner, five-time EFL Cup winner, two-time FA Cup winner, and has also enjoyed success in the Champions League and Club World Cup, as well as being named Premier League Player of the Year on two occasions.
Although, he never won a Premier League Player of the Month award, something Fernandes has enjoyed on five occasions. An FA Cup and EFL Cup represent his only major honours at Old Trafford, though he does have the edge on De Bruyne on the international front, having won the Nations League twice with Portugal.
Kevin De Bruyne vs Bruno Fernandes 2024/25 Season Comparison
It is tricky to compare the two players for last season given Fernandes played 17 more games than De Bruyne, who endured another injury-hit campaign.
Fernandes made 57 appearances in all competitions, scoring 19 goals and providing 18 assists, while creating 158 chances and producing 297 crosses.
The Portuguese also registered 156 shots on goal, and leads De Bruyne via all of these statistics.
The Belgian played 40 times in 2024-25, scoring six goals from 84 shots and providing eight assists from 76 chances created, while producing 213 crosses.
Although, he has the edge on Fernandes when it comes to passing accuracy (82.51% to 80.5%), while he only lost possession 530 times – just under half of his Manchester United counterpart’s tally (1,056).
Kevin De Bruyne vs Bruno Fernandes Club vs International Stats
De Bruyne is four years older than Fernandes and, as a result, his club career spans four years longer than his counterpart.
The Belgian has racked up 651 appearances at club level – 71 more than Fernandes – having made his senior bow during the 2008/09 season, though the Portuguese has scored more goals (182 to 155).
De Bruyne also has the edge when it comes to club honours, having won them across three nations, including seven league titles, the Champions League and Club World Cup. Fernandes has also been successful in multiple nations, winning cup competitions in Portugal and England.
De Bruyne’s international career has spanned 15 years, having made his debut in 2010. He has earned 111 caps during that time, appearing at three World Cups and helping Belgium to a third-place finish in 2018, and scored 31 goals.
Fernandes only made his senior international bow in 2017, yet has racked up 80 caps and scored 25 goals. Crucially, unlike De Bruyne, he has been successful on the international stage, helping Portugal win the Nations League in 2019 and 2025.
Kevin De Bruyne vs Bruno Fernandes head-to-head record
These two players have come face-to-face on the field 16 times in their respective careers so far and unsurprisingly, Kevin De Bruyne comes out on top given the relative dominance of Manchester City over Manchester United in the Premier League.
In those 16 games, De Bruyne has eight wins to his name, with Fernandes winning four and four games ending in draws. Three of the United man’s wins have come in the nine Premier League meetings between the two players, where Bruno has scored three goals and registered two assists, while De Bruyne has two goals and four assists to his name in Premier League Manchester derbies where both players featured.
Their only competitive international meeting came at Euro 2020, where Belgium knocked out Portugal thanks to a 1-0 win in Seville, although the two players didn’t actually feature on the pitch at the same time as Bruno Fernandes was subbed on after 55 minutes, seven minutes after Kevin De Bruyne was replaced by Dries Mertens.
Who is better, Kevin De Bruyne or Bruno Fernandes?
We’d never use the Comparison Matrix alone to answer a question as subjective as this and even without watching them as players, you can decide based on what metrics you’d rather compare on. When it comes to goals and shots, Bruno is clearly more of a threat, but Kevin De Bruyne’s assist stats are simply phenomenal and matched by his passing accuracy.
When it comes to trophies, De Bruyne is clearly out in front with his Manchester City haul something to behold, but Bruno has won two trophies on the international stage and still has time to fill his own cabinet up with more individual and team awards as he is four years De Bruyne’s junior.