Runo Fernandes has admitted that upon joining Manchester United, which allowed him to realize a childhood dream, he shed happy tears.

After completing a high-profile transfer to Old Trafford in January, the Portugal international established himself as a key member of the squad and a fan favorite off the field. His impressive tally currently stands at 13 goals and 10 assists in 25 appearances.

Fernandes has frequently discussed his long-standing loyalty to the club, which he attributes in large part to his idol and current international teammate Cristiano Ronaldo, who is widely regarded as the greatest United player of all time.

Fernandes recalls a specific childhood Christmas when his affection for United was already apparent in an in-depth account of his ascent to the top in The Players’ Tribune.

“One Christmas, my brother and I went to Switzerland to stay with my dad,” he reminisced. He was residing there at the time for employment. Before the Internet, purchasing kits from around the world wasn’t as simple.

“Premier League apparel wasn’t always available in Portugal, and when it was, it was very expensive. So one day, our father let us choose two coats while we were in a Nike store.

“You know, this was a big decision. Because of Messi, my brother picked the yellow Barcelona one. And as for me, I’m glad to say that I was a sophisticated man even then.

“Of course, I went with Man United.”

While many athletes frequently recite the cliché “it’s a childhood dream come true” when joining a new team, it looks that Fernandes actually fits that description.

The 26-year-old has now opened up about the range of feelings he experienced after knowing the deal was unquestionably on, after teachers advised him to concentrate on his education since they believed football was an unattainable aim.

He recalled, “Of course, my mind went back to that day in Switzerland, choosing out the coats with my brother, when I found out from my agency that it was really going to happen.

“But there were so many stages along the way that no one could comprehend; there were so many trying times that only my family could have gone through with me.

“The first thing I did after I was certain that the deal would go through was to inform my wife and daughter of the news, and I couldn’t help but… I just broke down in tears.

“Joyful tears. teardrops of joy. tears of nostalgia.