Portugal are also in a pool with Colombia and Uzbekistan, and Fernandes says the first step will always be to get out of the pool, but he is convinced they have the talent to go all the way this year.
“The best team is the one that wins, so I hope at the end of this competition we can claim to be that,” he told reporters in Houston on Tuesday. “We have a very strong team, great individual quality, and, with the strengths we have as players, we are a cohesive and united team.
“Our main focus is on the match at hand (against Congo) and going on a game-by-game basis. We must focus on the next step and not look too far ahead.
“This national team has so many great players who can be decisive in matches. We know there are players who are talked about more than others, but that does not take away from their quality as individual players.”
Portugal will be heavy favourites to win against Congo, but Fernandes has warned his teammates not to take their opponents lightly.
“First of all, the (world) ranking does not matter much in this type of competition. Congo are a very capable team, they have great quality and they have players in some of the major leagues,” he said.
“They are a physical team. They can play with a back four or five and they are good in transitions, given the speed they have. For us, we know what we are capable of and we know what we need to do from a defensive point of view.
“Every national team is different. You can play against African teams that don’t play the same way. We know what they are capable of. I have two good friends in the Congo team who I played with at Manchester United.
“They can cause us trouble, but we have prepared for the things they can do. They are physically strong and strong on the counterattack. They are very good with crosses from the right side and we have worked on that.
“We expect a difficult game, not just from them but in all games at the World Cup.”
Fernandes admits he is nervous ahead of the kick-off, but says this is not necessarily a bad thing.
“I am always nervous, I always feel like it is my first match. I am nervous now. It is good anxiety and eagerness to be out on the pitch,” he said.
“The nerves are part of it. We are representing our country and our people, the dream of thousands of boys and girls tuning in from Portugal, rooting for us. I was that kid once. I had that flag painted on my face. I hope the kids who idolise us feel represented tomorrow, I hope they can dream.”
Cristiano Ronaldo will be playing in a sixth World Cup finals and Fernandes says it remains an honour to play alongside him.
“For all of us in this national team, we have grown up watching Ronaldo play and it is such an honour for us to play next to him now in the same team.
“We know how passionate he is when he plays for Portugal. He is very excited, as he has been at every other World Cup he has played in.”
Fernandes says they will have former teammate Diogo Jota in their thoughts after he passed away in a car accident last year and would likely have played a big part in their squad at the World Cup.
“He is important for us, someone who had been in the group for so long. Someone I played with in the Under-21s and then came into the first team at the same time.
“Everyone has spoken about him. He was a great teammate, very down to earth, very passionate about what he could do for our country and football as well. He is still part of our group.”