Casemiro opens up on World Cup heartbreak after being named Brazil captain

Casemiro has been one of Manchester United’s standout performers this season after joining the club in a big-money deal at the end of last summer’s transfer window.

The former Real Madrid star has completely transformed United’s midfield, making himself undroppable immediately after starting for the first time.

With just two months of the season remaining, Casemiro has emerged as one of the leading contenders to be named Player of the Season at Old Trafford, with Marcus Rashford presumably his biggest competitor for that prize.

Casemiro was one of three United players to be named in Brazil’s squad for last year’s World Cup, with team-mates Fred and Antony also included.

Brazil were one of the favourites to win the prize but the storied nation were surprisingly eliminated by Croatia in the quarter-finals.

Now, roughly three months on from the disappointing exit, Casemiro has opened up on the loss to Croatia, admitting it is one of the defeats that hurt him the most.

Speaking of the defeat, without a doubt, it was the defeat that hurt the most,” Casemiro told Brazilian outlet UOL, via Sport Witness.

“A defeat that I couldn’t take much for granted, I had to play a week later. Keep talking, rethinking, it’s not in my character. We imagine a thousand possibilities, but it’s football, life, decision-making at the moment.

I don’t dwell on it, there are millions of possibilities, waking up sooner or later… I don’t rethink what I’ve done and live in the present.

“This is the present, good work today and tomorrow a great game. It hurts, it’s painful, the defeat that hurt the most, but without a doubt I’m thinking about the next one.”

Ahead of this month’s set of international fixtures, it was revealed that Casemiro has been named captain of the Brazilian national team – a stunning and honourable moment for the legendary midfielder.

Casemiro is expected to feature for Brazil against Morocco on Saturday evening but at club level, he will have to watch from the sidelines for quite a bit.

The 31-year-old is currently serving a four-match suspension following his red card against Southampton. He missed the dramatic FA Cup quarter-final against Fulham last week and will miss three more games before he is able to feature domestically again.

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