Liverpool legend and pundit Jamie Carragher had criticised the Manchester United midfielder's performances but U-turned earlier this year
Casemiro has proved his doubters wrong in his final season at Old Trafford
Casemiro has proved his doubters wrong in his final season at Old Trafford(Image: Getty Images)
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Manchester United midfielder Casemiro appears to have tried to claim the last laugh over Jamie Carragher as he attributed the Liverpool legend's previous criticism of his performances to "bitterness".
Carragher famously ripped into the former Real Madrid player's performances at United during Erik Ten Hag's time in the Old Trafford hotseat, saying "the football has left him" and advising him to "call it a day" after a harrowing 4-0 defeat at the hands of Crystal Palace in 2024.
But the Sky Sports punndit, who made 737 appearances for Liverpool, was forced into a U-turn earlier this season after improved performances from the veteran Brazilian, saying he now "looks a different player physically".
Indeed, Casemiro has silenced many of his doubters in his final season at United and re-established himself as one of their most important players as he prepares to leave this summer on the expiry of his contract.
He currently sits joint-second behind Benjamin Sesko in their top goalscorers list, with nine to his name, and having become one of the Premier League's most dangerous aerial threats from set-pieces.
Speaking to TNT Sports Brasil earlier this week, Casemiro was asked about Carragher's recent backtrack and said: "Everyone says whatever they want on television. I'm not someone who gets involved in that."
Needless to say, get involved is exactly what he proceeded to do.
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"But it's a bit normal," Casemiro continued. "Because I won two Champions League titles over his team. Maybe after you win two titles against his club, there's still some bitterness there."
Casemiro started for Real Madrid in both of Liverpool's Champions League final defeats at the hands of Los Blancos, in Kyiv in 2018 and Paris in 2022.
Nevertheless, he did give Carragher, a hero of the Reds' 2005 Champions League success, credit for admitting he was wrong about the 34-year-old veteran being over the hill.
"I respect his opinion," Casemiro said. "I don't hold any resentment. The important thing is that he recognised he was wrong and changed his opinion. That's what matters most.
"Nowadays, everyone has an opinion; everyone wants to go viral. Everyone thinks they know football; everyone thinks they're a star; everyone thinks they understand everything.
"Today, if you win, you're the best and if you lose, you're the worst. But football isn't always like that. That's why I don't even have social media on my phone.
"Everyone wants attention now."