Who is Casemiro?
Brazilian professional football player Carlos Henrique Casimiro, better known by his moniker Casemiro, was born on February 23, 1992. He plays defensive midfield for both the Brazil national team and Premier League team Manchester United.
Casemiro started his career with São Paulo and worked his way up. In 111 games as a midfi=elder for the team, he scored 11 goals. Real Madrid was impressed by his defensive skills, and he signed a loan deal with them in January 2013. His loan stint with Real Madrid Castilla lasted 15 games. He later joined Real Madrid’s first team at the Santiago Bernabéu after being permanently signed for a cost of £5.1 million.
When he first joined Real Madrid, Casemiro had trouble making an impression on the starting lineup. In order to increase his playing time, he was loaned to FC Porto for €15 million. Casemiro put on a strong performance while he was at Porto, leading the team to the quarterfinals of the Champions League. He was re-acquired by Real Madrid during the 2015 summer transfer window for €7.00 million. Now one of the world’s top defensive midfielders, Casemiro was instrumental in Real Madrid’s success after rejoining the team. He won multiple trophies, including three La Liga titles, three Supercopa de España, three FIFA Club World Cups, three UEFA Super Cups, one Copa del Rey, and five UEFA Champions Leagues.
He won the EFL Cup in his debut season after leaving Real Madrid in 2022 to join Manchester United for an estimated €70.65 million.
Casemiro, who has been a full international since 2011, represented Brazil in four Copa América competitions, including the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups, where he won the 2019 Copa América and placed second in 2021.
Club Career
São Paulo
São Paulo FC’s youth system produced Casemiro, who was born in São José dos Campos, São Paulo. He served as the team’s captain from the age of eleven. He was called up for the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup and was recognized early on as “Carlão,” which is an augmentative form of his first name in Portuguese.
In an away defeat to Santos on July 25, 2010, Casemiro made his Série A debut. In a 2–2 tie with Cruzeiro on August 15, he scored his first goal as a professional.
In that year’s Campeonato Paulista, Casemiro replaced the injured Fabrício early on and scored the first goal of a 2-0 victory over Mogi Mirim at the Arena Barueri on April 7, 2012, but he was sent off later. With one substitute appearance in a 5–0 victory at home against Universidad de Chile in the second leg of the quarterfinal on November 7, São Paulo also won the Copa Sudamericana.
Real Madrid
Casemiro was loaned to Real Madrid in Spain on January 31, 2013, where he was placed in the Segunda División B team. On February 16, he participated in his debut competition match, beginning in a 1-3 loss against Sabadell. On April 20, Casemiro played the entire ninety minutes in a 3-1 victory over Real Betis at home, marking his La Liga debut. He opened the reserves’ 4-0 victory over Alcorcón at the Alfredo Di Stéfano Stadium on June 2, his first goal in Europe. Real Madrid Castilla paid R$18.738 million to make the move permanent for four years, eight days after he scored his maiden goal.
On July 19, 2014, Casemiro was loaned to Porto for the duration of the season. He scored four goals in 41 appearances overall for the Portuguese team, including a free kick on March 10, 2015, during a 4-0 victory over Basel at home in the UEFA Champions League round of 16.
When Casemiro rejoined Real Madrid on June 5, 2015, they triggered his buyback clause. Two months later, his contract was extended until 2021. He headed home a Jesé corner kick in the 89th minute of the Merengues’ 2-1 victory at Las Palmas on March 13, 2016, marking his first competitive goal for the team. Casemiro was primarily a reserve player under Rafael Benítez before rising to the first team under Zinedine Zidane, who made 11 appearances in the Champions League that season.
He played the entire 120 minutes in the final against Atletico Madrid, which ended in a 1-1 tie and saw Real Madrid win their 11th title in a penalty shootout.
In the 2016–17 La Liga season, Casemiro helped his team win the league title for the first time in five years with four goals in 25 games. He subsequently helped his team win 4-1 against Juventus in the Champions League final with a long-range goal. In the 2017 UEFA Super Cup, he scored once more on August 8th, giving his team a 2-1 victory over Manchester United.
Casemiro made 12 appearances and scored one goal during the 2017–18 Champions League, which helped Madrid win the tournament for the third time in a row and for the thirteenth time overall. As Real Madrid won the 2019–20 La Liga, he was a consistent starter throughout the season. He renewed his contract till June 2025 on August 2021. When Real Madrid won the Champions League for the fourteenth time, Casemiro was a starter. As Real Madrid defeated Eintracht Frankfurt 2-0 to win the 2022 Super Cup, he was voted Man of the Match.
Manchester United
Real Madrid and Manchester United declared on August 19, 2022, that they had agreed to the transfer of Casemiro. He agreed to a four-year deal with the English team three days later, with the possibility of a one-year extension. According to reports, the sale was worth £60 million plus an additional £10 million. After Manchester United’s 4–0 loss against Brentford, Casemiro reportedly ordered his agent to tell Manchester United that he would help them get back on track, stating, “Tell them I’ll fix it.” On August 27, he made his club debut by substituting in a Premier League victory away to Southampton.
In January, Casemiro’s manager, Erik ten Hag gave him a lot of praise, saying, “Casemiro is magnificent.” Always taking good positions, both in and out of position, in front of the back line. Additionally, he is capable at handling the ball and making the appropriate pass. He can therefore quicken the pace of the game and score goals if needed.”
International Career
Youth
In seven games for the Brazil under-17 squad, Casemiro only managed one goal. He scored three goals in 15 games overall while playing for the Brazil under-20 squad in the 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup and the 2011 South American U-20 Championship.
Senior
At the age of 19, Casemiro earned his Brazil senior team debut on September 14, 2011, in a 0-0 draw with Argentina. Although manager Dunga included him in the Brazilian team for the 2015 Copa América, he did not participate in any of the games during the team’s quarterfinal loss in Chile.
Casemiro was included in the 23-man roster for the Copa América Centenario, which was scheduled to take place in the United States on May 5, 2016.
He was included in the team for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar on November 7, 2022. He scored the game-winning goal in the second group encounter against Switzerland on November 28. Despite Casemiro’s penalty kick, Brazil lost 4–2 in a penalty shootout after a 1–1 draw after extra time, and Croatia eliminated them in the quarterfinals on December 9.
Casemiro made his comeback to the national team after a two-year hiatus on May 26, 2025, when newly appointed Brazil manager Carlo Ancelotti revealed the lineup for World Cup qualifying matches against Ecuador and Paraguay.
Casemiro Style of Player
Although he has occasionally been used as a center-back or anchor man in the middle of the pitch, Casemiro’s primary position is defensive midfield. He is a smart, physically fit, agile, combative, and hard-tackling midfield player with a great work ethic and strong technical skills. Although Casemiro is primarily recognized for his ability to balance his teams by defensively supporting his more offensive teammates and accurately passing the ball to them after regaining possession, he is also a versatile midfield player with a strong shot from outside the penalty area, dependable distribution, and the ability to advance with runs off the ball or initiate attacks with his passing.
In addition to disrupting moves, these qualities allow him to score goals or contribute offensively. Additionally, he excels in a holding midfield role in front of the defense by blocking counterattacks and protecting the back line thanks to his quick responses, outstanding positional awareness, ability to read the game, and good anticipation.
Pundits have praised Casemiro, who is sometimes referred to as a “destroyer” in the media, for his aggressive style of play, tactical awareness, and ball-winning skills, which allow him to cover ground, track back, and press opponents. Because of his perseverance on the field, which is demonstrated by his intense difficulties and endurance, Marca has given him the moniker “The Tank.”
Along with his skill as a football player, Casemiro is notable for his mentality, competitive spirit, perseverance, and consistency on the field. He has a strong disciplinary record, but his overly combative challenges on the field have occasionally drawn criticism from the media. Casemiro’s style of play has been compared to that of his countryman Toninho Cerezo and former Real Madrid defensive midfielder Claude Makélélé.
Faith & Love
Casemiro is a Christ-follower. Although his religious beliefs are not well known, they are evident from his actions and his statements. He is renowned for having a strong faith and has discussed the importance of his faith in his life. For example, he has been seen praying before and after games. His wife, Anna Mariana Casemiro, is also a Christian and has publicly expressed their beliefs.
Casemiro Net Worth
As of 2025, Casemiro’s projected net worth is €112 million. He makes money via endorsement deals, his professional football wage, and other sources.
Club Ownership
It was revealed on June 4, 2024, that Casemiro will be investing in Marbella, a lower-league team in Spain.
Honours
São Paulo
- Copa São Paulo de Futebol Júnior: 2010
- Copa Sudamericana: 2012
Real Madrid
- La Liga: 2016–17, 2019–20, 2021–22
- Copa del Rey: 2013–14
- Supercopa de España: 2017, 2020, 2022
- UEFA Champions League: 2013–14, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2021–22
- UEFA Super Cup: 2016, 2017, 2022
- FIFA Club World Cup: 2016, 2017, 2018
Manchester United
- EFL Cup: 2022–23
- FA Cup: 2023–24
