Paulo Bernardo, born in Portugal on the 24th of January 2002, is a central midfielder for Celtic who stands at 5ft 10in (1.8m) tall and weighs in at a sturdy 12st 1lb (77kg). Plying his trade in the heart of the pitch, 'Paulo Bernardo' Gonçalves Bernardo carries the number 28 on his jersey and has the auspicious experience of representing the Portugal U21 national side.
Bernardo’s current market value sits around £3.5m as per Transfermarkt.
His journey to Celtic saw him rise through the ranks in Portugal. In July 2010, he joined the academy of the Liga Portugal side Benfica, where he made 17 first team appearances in his debut 2021 - 2022 season. In January 2023, his growth continued with a loan move to Liga Portugal 2 side Paços de Ferreira, accumulating 13 first team appearances and bagging two goals.
September 2023 saw a pivotal moment in his career, transferring on loan to Celtic. During the 2023 - 2024 season, Bernardo began to stamp his mark, securing 22 first team appearances and netting three goals. His relationship with Celtic solidified and a transfer from Benfica for £3.5m occurred in August 2024. He continued his strong contributions into the 2024 - 2025 season, scoring two goals across 28 appearances. At present, in the 2025 - 2026 season, Bernardo has made eight first team appearances.
Not just a regular league player, this star midfielder saw various cup actions including two appearances as a substitute in the League Cup 2025 - 2026, two starts and a substitute appearance in the Scottish Cup 2025 - 2026, and representing Celtic in the Europa League 2025 - 2026 with two starts and five appearances as a substitute. Furthermore, he played four starts for Portugal U21 in the UEFA U21 Qualifiers 2025, impressively scoring a goal while representing his country.
