Playing a pivotal role in the midfield, Paulo 'Bernardo' Gonçalves Bernardo is a highly valued asset for Celtic. Born on the 24th of January, 2002 in Portugal, Bernardo is an impressive 5ft 10in (1.8m) in height and weighs in at a solid 12st 1lb (77kg). The Celtic number 28 jersey is very much at home on his back and he has represented the Portuguese U21 national team on more than one occasion.
An individual of undeniable skill, Bernardo's market value currently holds around £3.5m (according to Transfermarkt). However, his journey to Celtic was one filled with promise and progress.
Bernardo started his professional journey with Benfica in the Liga Portugal, Portugal as a trainee in July 2010. He quickly proved his worth, making his mark during the 2021 - 2022 season with 17 first team league match appearances.
Road testing his skill across Portugal, Bernardo transferred on loan to Paços de Ferreira in the Liga Portugal 2 in January 2023. Here, he was able to net two goals across 13 league matches in the 2022 - 2023 season.
Come September 2023, Paolo Gonçalves Bernardo was finally welcomed into the Celtic fold, making the journey to Scotland's Premiership. His initial season saw him appear 22 times in first team league matches, netting three goals.
Proving himself to not just be a fleeting talent, Bernardo consolidated his presence in Celtic, making 28 first team appearances and scoring two goals in league matches during the 2024 - 2025 season. His current 2025 - 2026 season status boasting a total of seven first team appearances.
Such a rising star did not come cheaply to Celtic, with the club acquiring Bernardo from Benfica in August 2024 for approximately £3.5m, an investment that has already shown substantial returns.
Bernardo's talent has shone not only in the domestic league, but also on various other platforms. He's put his skills to work in the League Cup 2025 - 2026 for Celtic with two appearances as a substitute, the Scottish Cup 2025 - 2026 for Celtic playing from the start, the UEFA U21 Qualifiers 2025 for Portugal U21 scoring one goal across four starts, and in the Europa League 2025 - 2026 for Celtic marking a team presence with one start and three appearances as a substitute.
With a fruitful career already under his belt and many more years to come in his journey, Paulo 'Bernardo' Gonçalves Bernardo is certainly a name that will sure echo in Celtic's history.
