Casemiro and Messi, once fierce rivals, now unite in Miami: “It’s an honor to play next to the God of soccer”
Casemiro was officially presented by Inter Miami at Nu Stadium on Thursday. He was quick to praise his new “unstoppable” team mate, Lionel Messi.
For years, Casemiro and Lionel Messi battled on opposite sides of the sport’s biggest divide — Real Madrid vs. Barcelona, the rivalry that shaped an era. Today, that story flips completely. The Brazilian midfielder was officially introduced as a new Inter Miami player, joining Messi as a teammate rather than an adversary.
During his introductory press conference, Casemiro didn’t hide his excitement: “I’m very happy to be with him now. He gave me so many problems. I always dreamed of playing with the best.”
Messi’s hunger still shocks him
Casemiro said that even after facing Messi countless times, nothing prepared him for what he’s seeing now in Miami: “I played against him many times. I knew it was impossible to stop him. But after winning everything and still seeing that he wants to keep growing, keep winning… it’s impressive. For me, it’s an honor to play by his side.”
The World Cup: the one dream he couldn’t fulfill
A new chapter begins for the former Manchester United midfielder, but he admits one regret still stings — not winning a World Cup.
He reflected on his last tournament: “It was possibly my last World Cup. It hurts to talk about it. Becoming world champion was a dream I had. But I’m fortunate to have played three World Cups, which was another goal.”
What Casemiro wants to bring to Inter Miami
Case says he’s fully locked in on his new mission: “We want to compete. I’m where I want to be. I want to keep growing. I want to enjoy playing with the God of soccer.”
He also explained why he chose Inter Miami: “The club has brought in the best players in the world. It’s important to have people who want to keep growing, who are hungry for more. This is a team that played in the Club World Cup. I want to keep growing.”
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