Jamie Carragher backs down over Casemiro jibe after Man Utd star hits back
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Jamie Carragher was among those to criticise Casemiro during the midfielder's struggles at Manchester United but the veteran has enjoyed a stellar final campaign at Old TraffordJamie Carragher accepts that his scathing verdict on Casemiro two years ago was harsh and premature after the outgoing Manchester United midfielder described his comments as "disrespectful" in a recent interview.The Sky Sports pundit and Liverpool legend proclaimed that Casemiro was finished in elite football after watching him struggle against Crystal Palace back in May 2024. “Leave the football before the football leaves you,” Carragher infamously said as he urged Casemiro to call it a day at the top level in a clip which quickly went viral on social media.Two years on, Casemiro is preparing to leave Manchester United; but he does so after a remarkable renaissance under Michael Carrick, scoring nine Premier League goals to successfully aid the club in their quest to return to the Champions League.Asked about Carragher's comments recently, Casemiro said he felt disrespected.
My argument was he would be better heading out to the MLS, or accepting offers from Saudi Arabia, because he would never get back to anywhere near his best to achieve the same heights of winning the Champions League or league titles at Old Trafford as he did so brilliantly at Real Madrid.“At the time, those observations were not controversial.“In 2024, Casemiro was unfit, lacked the physicality and athleticism to cope with quicker, sharper opponents, and was exposed when used in a deeper role, either in midfield or at centre-back as he was that night at Selhurst Park.”After going on to explain that his criticism of Casemiro was not personal, Carragher likens the iconic midfield maestro to a boxer still fighting despite no longer being in his prime.He maintains that, despite Casemiro's upturn in form this season, Manchester United fans have not seen the same version of a player player that helped Real Madrid achieve domestic and European dominance during his stint at the Bernabeu.Carragher continued: “This week, Casemiro suggested my remarks were 'disrespectful', and that is fair enough. Quite the contrary.“Because of his stellar career, it was natural to compare Casemiro to the extraordinarily high standards he set for himself.“Casemiro was no ordinary, struggling Premier League midfielder.
That was a trio that stood comparison with even the great Barcelona midfield of Xavi Hernández, Andrés Iniesta and Sergio Busquets.“He is ending his United spell playing a different role to that for which he made his name – a goalscoring midfielder who is particularly effective from set-pieces.”Despite his stance, Carragher concludes by praising Casemiro for finishing his Premier League career on a high note before he prepares to embark on a new challenge - even if he is of the opinion his time at the club would cause United to approach a similar transfer differently.“Credit must be given to him for changing the perception of his United career as he prepares to say his goodbyes,” Carragher adds. When departing Old Trafford, he deserves the ovation he receives for a magnificent career.“But when the dust settles, no amount of rewriting history will change this fact: the next time a player of Casemiro’s age and status is available for the same salary and transfer fee, United will learn from experience and say, 'thanks, but no thanks'.”Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content.