• Casemiro praised Lionel Messi as one of the top 3 players of his generation.
• Casemiro joined Real Madrid in 2013 and won 18 trophies with the club.
• Casemiro congratulated his friend Lisandro Martínez for winning the World Cup.

Casemiro, a midfielder for Manchester United and Brazil, recently praised his former opponent Lionel Messi and stated it was a “pleasure” to compete against the PSG juggernaut.

The five-time UEFA Champions League (UCL) champion recently spoke with Placar and described Messi as one of the top three players of his generation, adding, “I didn’t get to watch Maradona or Pele play, but I enjoyed watching the three greatest players of my generation: Messi, Cristiano and Neymar.”

The Brazilian midfielder remarked: “Messi made an era, and he was always competitive with Barcelona and Argentina; there was no way out. Whoever loves football will love Messi.

“It was a pleasure to play against him. He is someone who needs no comment you can only admire.”

Credits: Twitter

At Camp Nou in 2016, Real Madrid and Barcelona’s league game saw Messi and Casemiro facing off for the first time.

The Brazilian became one of the top defensive midfielders in the world at the same time as Los Blancos won the game.

Despite his adoration for the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner, Casemiro revealed he did not watch the 2022 World Cup final in which the Argentinean captain guided his nation to victory.

“No, I didn’t watch it, and frankly, after our loss, I think I didn’t watch football for a month, and I didn’t turn on the TV. It was very painful.

“One of my best friends, Licha, won the tournament. I congratulate him with all respect and appreciation. If there is someone worthy of it from my friends, it is Lisandro,” he added.

It should be remembered that Casemiro, who joined Real Madrid in 2013 at the age of 21, made his Whites debut on April 20, 2012, against Real Betis.

The following season, he was quickly promoted to the first squad and acted as Xabi Alonso’s backup in the midfield.

In his nine-year stint with Madrid, Casemiro collected 18 trophies, including five UCL and three La Liga championships.

Later, in 2022, he joined Manchester United, where he assisted them in capturing their first title since 2017.

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