Fernandes arrived in Switzerland with his mother at the age of five from the Cape Verde islands, the family settling in Sion, as his father works for FC Sion as a groundskeeper. Regarding on his nationality, he said: "That is important to me. Look at me, you know immediately where I come from. This is my culture, this is where my roots are. By the way, there is not a single day that I am not on the other side of the ocean for a few moments travel. A little Zouc or Funana, and I'll take off. In moments like this, nothing can disturb me."