Paulo Bernardo seems to be making a habit of scoring on international duty, with his latest coming yesterday evening (Monday) for Portugal Under 21s in a 3-1 win over Slovakia.
The Celtic midfielder has impressed every time he's turned out for his country this season so far – form he's likewise shown at club level, despite fighting for his place in Brendan Rodgers' starting XI with a few others.
In the wake of his most recent outing for Portugal U21s, Portuguese outlet SAPO Desporto described the 22-year-old as 'instrumental' in the middle of the pitch, stressing the fact he's always got goals in him.
SAPO said: "Paulo Bernardo is the player with the most minutes (783) in this qualifying phase and is the only one who has started all nine games. The Celtic midfielder is followed by Samuel Soares who has already played 720 minutes, having only missed the home game against the Faroe Islands.
"Serving as the team's captain, Bernardo has been instrumental in midfield, showcasing leadership and consistent performances.
Read more:
- Watch Paulo Bernardo score another belter for Portugal U21s
- Why Bernardo wanted Celtic to make Aberdeen game special
SAPO added: "In terms of goals scored, the team's top scorer stands out, being on the list of the top scorers in the qualifying phase. Fábio Silva has scored seven goals in nine games, two of them from penalties, and could extend his tally and perhaps become the top scorer in this phase, if he scores against Andorra.
"Paulo Bernardo is the second player who has scored the most goals, with four goals in nine games. Francisco Conceição, despite now being with the senior national team, completes the podium with three goals in three games.
"Pedro Santos and Rodrigo Gomes remain tied with three goals each, in six and eight games, respectively."
