06 March 2023 , 07:00
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Manchester United star midfielder Casemiro has instantly become a fan favourite at the club and boss Erik ten Hag's comments on his attitude indicated set him apart from Cristiano Ronaldo.
Casemiro joined United in a £70million deal in August as he ended a trophy-laden nine years at Real Madrid – where he won five Champions League crowns at the base of a midfield alongside Toni Kroos and Luka Modric. The trio formed a formidable partnership that largely dominated Europe.
United’s signing of Casemiro has proven inspired with the Brazilian starring for United this campaign - adding balance, control, leadership and structure to a team that desperately needed such attributes, and is a contender for the Premier League Player of the Season award.
Ronaldo left United in November before completing a stunning move to Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr. That move comes after Ronaldo ended his relationship with United by mutual consent in November following a bombshell interview with Piers Morgan.
Ronaldo never enjoyed a run of starts under United boss Ten Hag, who swiftly established that he should not be in his strongest starting line-up. The Portuguese star’s exit interview was critical of the boss, whom he accused of “disrespecting” him.
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Yet Ten Hag’s admiration of Casemiro can be sharply contrasted to his relationship with Ronaldo – identifying the Brazilian’s strengths as “co-operation” with his coaching style and being “humble” – two assets that, for all his strengths, could not be applied to Ronaldo at Old Trafford this season.
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“All the cups he’s won, that’s not a coincidence,” Ten Hag said of Casemiro. “For me, you have players who win, and win always, and players who lose and are always losing. You have to do your research and find the type who will win and is co-operative in the dressing room, and humble.”
Ronaldo was dropped after United’s humbling four-goal humiliation at Brentford in August and never re-established himself in Ten Hag’s side after that.
As outlined by The Times, another key difference between Casemiro and Ronaldo was how he acted at the club’s facilities and with his teammates. He is the first to arrive at the training ground, where he is said to eat breakfast with Bruno Fernandes and David de Gea but he never shies away from taking time to speak with younger player.
Casemiro is said to do this quietly, offering advice and guidance when it is required – showing leadership. This is said to contrast to Ronaldo, whose unhappy stint under Ten Hag was brought an end within six months.