Casemiro has branded Jamie Carragher’s ‘leave the football’ speech about him as ‘disrespectful’, as the Man United star opened up about leaving the club.
The 34-year-old will leave Man United when his contract expires at the end of this campaign, bringing an end to the midfielder’s four-year stay at Old Trafford.
While Casemiro is leaving having played a key role in the Red Devils earning a Champions League spot, the Brazilian’s performances were scrutinised at the end of the 2023-24 season.
Casemiro, appearing on the Rio Ferdinand Presents YouTube Channel, was asked about Jamie Carragher’s punchy analysis of his performance levels – which came after Man United suffered a 4-0 defeat by Crystal Palace.
‘I think Casemiro should know tonight that he should only have another three games left at the top level,’ Carragher had said on Sky Sports. ‘The next two league games and the cup final, then he should be thinking, I need to go to the MLS or Saudi.
‘This has to stop because we are watching one of the greats of the modern time. I always remember the saying “leave the football before the football leaves you”. The football has left him. At this top level, he needs to call it a day at this level and move.
Casemiro has hit back at ‘disrespectful’ comments from Jamie Carragher back in 2024
Carragher famously stated ‘leave the football before the football leaves you’ when suggesting that Casemiro was unable to compete at the top level of the game in 2024
‘The level of that player, he should not be putting himself through this. He is too good of a player to be putting in a performance like that being laughed at by Crystal Palace. He needs to call it a day.’
Responding to the line ‘leave the football before the football leaves you’, Casemiro responded: ‘So… It’s your opinion. I respect your opinion. I don’t like it because it’s disrespectful. It’s disrespectful to me.’
Casemiro highlighted his impressive performances for Man United this season, including contributing nine Premier League goals from midfield, which has led to calls for him to extend his stay.
The Brazilian star, however, suggested his and Man United’s upturn have made it a good time to leave, with people ‘missing him’ like they had done at Real Madrid after his £60m move in 2022.
‘What I won in football, but, football changes. Life changes, life changes, so look now,’ Casemiro said.
‘It’s about this. For me, the best thing in this moment we speak in Spain is I live in the big dark.
‘I live in a good feeling. Everyone misses Casemiro. You know?
‘About this, I decided to leave because I live in good. Because it’s the same in Madrid. Everyone misses me there. Everyone misses this team. Now, it’s the same. So, life changes.
Casemiro will leave Man United on a high this summer after playing a key role in their qualification for next season’s Champions League
‘It’s the life, everyone forgets very quick. Everyone forgets very quick. But, again, the mentality.’
Carragher’s comments had come weeks before he was axed by manager Erik ten Hag for their FA Cup final win over Man City, leading to suggestions his time at the club was coming to an end.
Casemiro stressed that having a strong mentality was crucial to coming through tough moments during his spell at Man United, admitting that ‘everyone kills you’ when struggling at the club.
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‘The second season, I remember it wasn’t good for me. But I remember I was injured for three months.
‘I played 12 or 15 games in the centre-back, I helped the team. And it was a very difficult moment because I played in the centre-back.
‘I helped, it’s not about me, it’s about the team. I helped the team. But don’t speak about the player because you’re not playing in your position.
‘Everyone kills you because you’re not playing in your position. But for me, it’s here [in the head]. It doesn’t matter.
‘For me, it’s the head, the strong head.’
Casemiro will leave Man United having won both the FA Cup and Carabao Cup with the club, with the Brazilian having scored in the final of the latter.
It added to a glittering list of honours during his time at Real Madrid, where Casemiro won three LaLiga titles, the Champions League five times, the Copa del Rey and multiple UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cups.
