Paulo Bernardo Gonçalves Bernardo, known as Paulo Bernardo, born on 24 January 2002, is a Portuguese professional footballer currently playing for Celtic in Scotland. This central midfielder stands at a height of 5'10" (1.8m) and weighs 12st 1lb (77kg). He dons the number 28 jersey on his back and has extended his talents beyond the club, representing Portugal U21 at international level.
As of now, Paulo Bernardo's current market value is estimated to be around £4.8m, as accurate according to Transfermarkt. His commitment to Celtic is reflected in his contract that is set to run till 30 June 2029.
Bernardo started his football journey as a trainee with Benfica in Liga Portugal in 2010, effectively joining the first team in the 2021-2022 season. He made his name known with his 17 first-team appearances in league matches.
On a short loan term, he was transferred to Paços de Ferreira in Liga Portugal 2 in January 2023, making 13 first team appearances and netting two goals.
Bernardo's adventure with Celtic began in September 2023 when he was loaned from Benfica. In his first season (2023 - 2024), he took the pitch 22 times and scored three goals. In season 2024 - 2025, his contributions increased with 28 first team appearances and two goals. However, the current season (2025 - 2026) has yet to see him on the field.
In terms of permanent affiliation, Bernardo officially transferred from Benfica to Celtic in August 2024 for a fee of approximately £3.5m. His performance remained consistent with his previous loan tenure, featuring 22 times in his inaugural season and scoring three goals. The subsequent year (2024 - 2025) saw him make 28 first-team appearances and score two more goals. His playing time in the current season (2025 - 2026), however, has been non-existent so far.
Beyond domestic football, Bernardo has contributed in international tournaments. He made appearances in the Champions League 2023 - 2024 for Celtic, the Scottish Cup 2024 - 2025 for Celtic, and the UEFA U21 Qualifiers 2025 for Portugal U21. He kicked off his Champions League career with two starts and four times as a substitute, whereas in the Scottish Cup, he started twice and made two substitute appearances. His time with Portugal U21 in the UEFA U21 Qualifiers saw him score a goal in four starts. Finally, in the Champions League 2024 - 2025, he started twice out of the six games he was involved in.
