Manchester United midfielder Casemiro was in no doubt when he admitted that he was glad that he’s never had to face one player.
Casemiro, 33, has enjoyed a trophy-laden career and represented clubs such as Porto and Real Madrid before moving to his current home, Manchester United, in 2022.
So far, the Brazil international has three La Liga titles, one Copa del Rey crown, five Champions Leagues, a League Cup, an FA Cup and a Copa America to show for his efforts, to name a few of the many trophies he has won.
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Along the way, Casemiro has played against iconic names such as Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta and Neymar, and the United midfielder was quick to praise Messi, 37, when speaking to Placar [via Man Utd] in 2023.
"Messi left his mark," Casemiro told Placar. "You can't deny it. He was always a rival, with Barcelona and with Argentina; there was no way to escape it. But those who like football like Messi.
"It was a pleasure playing against him. He is a guy who does not need comment. You just have to admire him."
But there is one player he has never faced, and it’s fair to say the Brazilian is glad about that. And that man is his former Los Blancos and Man United teammate Cristiano Ronaldo.
"I had the pleasure of seeing Messi, Cristiano and Neymar, who are the three greatest of my generation," Casemiro added.
"I saw [the Brazilian] Ronaldo, I saw Zinedine Zidane, but, without a doubt, these three are the best of my time.
"I never played against Cristiano, thank God! He gave me many titles and victories."
Ronaldo and Casemiro played alongside each other at Madrid on 122 occasions in a Madrid side that dominated European football under the tutelage of Zinedine Zidane between 2015 and 2018.
And Casemiro is clearly a fan of another former United star and even admitted that Paul Pogba was "welcome" at Real Madrid back in 2019.
"A player of his level is compatible with any player in the world - we know he is a great player, but we cannot talk about a player who is not here with the team," Casemiro told Sky Sports.
"We know that if he comes to Madrid he will be very welcome because we know he is a great player."
Topics: Casemiro, Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Football, Champions League
Luke Davies