Casemiro has completed a free transfer to Inter Miami after leaving Manchester United on the expiry of his contract, and the first big thing he has said is not about the move itself. It is about Lionel Messi. Speaking to goal.com, Casemiro said he could never stop Messi in their El Clasico meetings and now wants to help him win titles in Miami.
Casemiro's view of Messi
“The amount of trouble Messi gave me. Of course, I dreamed of playing with him, I always wanted to play with the best. I could never stop him, I always needed the help of my teammates,” Casemiro said. “I am very happy to be alongside him now and I want to continue winning titles with him. I want to enjoy being alongside him, help him and make him even greater. He is one of the gods of football, if not the God of football himself, and I want to help.”
That is a strong line, but it also fits the football. Messi's 8 goals and 4 assists in 8 appearances this season have already given Inter Miami a game-breaker, and his 8.77 season rating underlines why Casemiro is talking in those terms. The new midfielder arrives with a 7.21 rating across 2026 and 5 appearances behind him, so this is a move into an active squad, not a soft landing.
Brazil and Haaland
Casemiro also used the interview to revisit Brazil's World Cup exit, saying Norway eliminated them after Erling Haaland scored twice. He added that the tournament still hurts because it was a dream in his career, even if he says he is lucky to have played in three World Cups for Brazil.
Haaland's 7 goals in 5 appearances this season give some weight to the praise, even if Casemiro's memory of that defeat sits uneasily beside the wider context around it. The main story here is still the same, though. Casemiro has arrived in Miami talking about Messi as the standard, and not as a rival he is glad to leave behind.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →
