They say whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, and West Ham United’s Mateus Fernandes is the embodiment of that having finished rock bottom of the Premier League table last season with Southampton.
A campaign which started with a 2-1 victory over Wrexham in August could end with a World Cup spot.
Fernandes was called up by Portugal boss Roberto Martinez for the first-time ahead of this month’s double-header against 2026 World Cup co-hosts Mexico and the USA.
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Speaking at a press conference ahead of his national team debut, West Ham United’s breakout star feels that his experiences at St Mary’s created a more resilient, combative, ‘mature’ footballer.
Southampton experience made West Ham United’s Mateus Fernandes stronger
Mateus Fernandes could still suffer relegation in successive seasons of course; the Hammers remain in the drop zone following Sunday’s 2-0 defeat by Aston Villa.
But, for the first time since the Declan Rice days, West Ham have an all-action midfield dynamo willing to take the responsibility upon his own shoulders while grabbing a game by the scruff of the neck.
“I try to focus on what I can control,” Fernandes says during a press conference on Tuesday. “Last year was an atypical season [relegated at Southampton], with many defeats and many lessons learned.
“I also ended the season with a defeat in the [Portugal] Under-21s, which was very costly.
“Therefore, it was a year of great learning, and I feel that I am a much more mature player. That’s why I also set this goal of trying to go to the World Cup. Now I know that I have to be consistent at my club and focus on the day-to-day.”
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Speaking in February, Fernandes is convinced West Ham will avoid relegation, and the same fate suffered by the Saints in 2025.
Nuno Espirito Santo has reeled in Tottenham, Nottingham Forest and even Leeds during a dramatic upturn in form over the last two months. The Hammers were seven points adrift on January 6th. Now, there are only four points separating 15th from 18th.
Only six teams have picked up more points than West Ham since Callum Wilson snaffled a stoppage-time winner at Tottenham on January 17th.
“As I said, last year was a year of finding positive things,” adds Fernandes. “Not only in the results but also in the invisible things, like switching off after a defeat so as not to always be in a negative vibe.
“The arrival of coach Nuno gave me stability. I know he trusts me. I also know the size of the club, which is [often] fighting for the top spots in the Premier League table. We are not happy, but we have to turn things around.”
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