Paulo Bernardo, born on the 24th of January 2002, is a Portuguese footballer known for his strength in the midfield. At 22 years old, he has carved a niche for himself in the game, and especially in his role as a central midfielder for Celtic. Standing 5ft 10in (1.8m) tall and weighing 12st 1lb (77kg), Bernardo, who wears the number 28 jersey, has also made a name for himself representing the Portugal U21 national team.
According to Transfermarkt, Bernardo is currently valued at around £4m. His contract with Celtic is expected to last for another 4 years and 7 months, ending on 30 June 2029.
Bernardo formally started his football career in July 2010 when he joined Benfica as a trainee. He had a promising debut season in 2021 - 2022, making 17 appearances for the first team in league matches. In January 2023, he was transferred from Benfica to Paços de Ferreira on loan, where he earned his stripes making 13 appearances and scoring two goals in the 2022 - 2023 season.
Bernardo's move to Celtic came in September 2023, initially on loan from Benfica. During the 2023 - 2024 season, he made 22 appearances for Celtic and scored three goals in league matches; a feat he has continued during his current 2024 - 2025 season, with 16 appearances and two goals so far. It was in August 2024 that Bernardo transferred from Benfica to Celtic permanently, in a deal worth around £3.5m.
His time at Celtic has seen him participate in several high-level competitions. In the 2023 - 2024 season, he played in the Champions League for Celtic, making two starts and four substitute appearances. During the League Cup 2024 - 2025, Bernardo scored a goal in two starts with two substitute appearances.
Furthermore, he continued to make a name on the international scene with his performance in the UEFA U21 Championship Qualifiers 2024 - 2025 for Portugal U21, scoring an impressive four goals in nine starts and one appearance as a substitute. Currently, in the 2024 - 2025 season, he is participating in the Champions League for Celtic with two starts and four substitute appearances.
