Bernardo Fontes was the hero of this Sunday night, at the João Cardoso Stadium. He made an incredible ten saves to prevent Benfica from winning and holding on to a 0-0 draw against Tondela.
It was only the third time that the 23-year-old goalkeeper managed to keep the goal to zero and, in addition, he is the second goalkeeper who conceded the most goals in the championship: 33. Ahead, there is only Renan Ribeiro (37) from Estrela da Amadora. However, despite the collective crisis (Tondela is second to last), anyone who thinks that, on an individual level, Bernardo Fontes is having a bad season would be mistaken. THE keeper Brazilian is in five tops of the Liga Portugal Betclic 2025/26, according to statistics provided by Zerozero.
Bernardo Fontes is the goalkeeper with the most saves (76), the most saves inside the area (50) and the most punches (17). And calm down… it’s not just under the posts that this 1.97 meter athlete stands out. He is also the goalkeeper in the championship with the most long passes (343) and the most successful long passes (125).
Best of League 3 and League 2
Coming from base from Flamengo, Bernardo Fontes arrived in Portugal for SC Braga’s under-19s in 2020/21, the season in which he completed his training. He was at Arsenal for four seasons, between the under-23s and the B team, without ever making his debut for the main team. His adventure at Minho culminated with the distinction of best goalkeeper in League 3, in 2023/24.
From Braga he went to Tondela: 34 games, one assist, champion of League 2 and… the best goalkeeper in League 2, having also won the awards for best goalkeeper of the month in September, October, November and March.
Having worked his way up from Liga 3 to Liga in just two years, the Rio player continues, this season, to be very confident in protecting the green nets in the main echelon of Portuguese football, being, in fact, the player from Beira with the most minutes added this season: 1800, in 20 games.
The already giant Bernardo Fontes has become even bigger, especially in games against the big ones, where, in addition to ten saves against Benfica, he made twelve against Sporting (0-3) and five against FC Porto (0-2).
A man of faith
At the end of the game against Benfica, after receiving the man of the match award, the first thing Bernardo Fontes did was thank God: «First I want to give honor and glory to God, because he empowers me every day to be better. Give me health, wisdom and are always with me.”
Only then the sporting plan: «Against these so-called great teams, and against all the teams in the league, we have to do our best. I work every day to be well, no matter who the opponent is against, for me all games are the same (…) Of course, the rain and the field affected the game a little, but the goalkeepers always have to pay maximum attention.”
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