Casemiro snubbed former Real Madrid and Manchester United teammate Cristiano Ronaldo when naming the two players he enjoyed playing alongside the most in his remarkable career.
The 32-year-old Brazilian midfielder first shared the pitch with Manchester United legend Cristiano Ronaldo during his illustrious spell at Real Madrid.
Casemiro, who left Sao Paulo in 2013 and completed a permanent move to Madrid, had a successful spell in the Spanish capital alongside Ronaldo.
The Brazil international captured three La Liga titles, five Champions Leagues and a Copa del Rey with Los Blancos before he left the La Liga club in 2022.
Ronaldo had an incredible impact at Madrid after he left Old Trafford for the first time and completed a blockbuster transfer to the Spanish club in 2009.
The 39-year-old Portuguese forward lifted four Champions League titles, two La Liga trophies and two Copa del Reys during his legendary spell at Madrid.
Ronaldo, who became Los Blancos’ all-time leading scorer, crossed paths again with Casemiro during their brief time together at the Red Devils.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner left Juventus in 2021 and re-signed for United under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, with Ronaldo making a superb impact in the 2021-22 season.
Casemiro, on the other hand, arrived at Old Trafford in 2022 and Ronaldo had fallen out of favour under United manager Erik ten Hag.
Casemiro snubs Ronaldo in two-player pick
Cristiano Ronaldo’s reunion with Casemiro came to an end in 2022 after the Manchester United legend left the club amid his rift with Erik ten Hag.
Speaking to Manchester United’s official website, Casemiro opened up about his time at Real Madrid and his midfield partnerships with Luka Modric and Toni Kroos.
The former Madrid star insisted that he enjoyed playing alongside Luka Modric and Toni Kroos more so than any other player, including Ronaldo.
“When you win, it’s even more enjoyable, without a doubt,” he said.
“It’s Luka Modric and Toni Kroos who I most enjoyed playing with. We played together for 10 years, a lot of finals, great games, a lot of training sessions and a lot of laughs in our day-to-day and in the dressing room.
“It was really enjoyable. I also enjoyed playing with Paulinho and Renato for the Brazilian national team.
“I enjoy playing with Bruno [Fernandes] here and now with Kobbie [Mainoo], with [Christian] Eriksen and Scott [McTominay], I enjoy playing with all these teammates.
“At Porto, I played with Hector Herrera, another player I really enjoyed playing with. Obviously when you win as much as I did at Real Madrid, Luka Modric and Toni Kroos are two players who will stay with me for the rest of my life.”
Casemiro praises one Man Utd legend
Casemiro shared his admiration for midfielders, both and present, and praised the impact that United legend Paul Scholes had on him growing up.
“I watched a lot of United games as a child,” he said.
“The one who stood out in midfield was Paul Scholes, with his aggression and shooting from outside the area.
“He’s a player who I wanted to play alongside one day. It would have been a pleasure.
“If I could choose a player from the past to play with, I would choose him alongside me in midfield.”