Former Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has told Gary Lineker a massive trait that stood out in Manchester United and Brazil midfielder Casemiro.
Carlo Ancelotti enjoyed two prolific spells as Real Madrid manager before he left Los Blancos in the summer and became the head coach of the Brazil national team.
During his illustrious time in the Spanish capital, the 66-year-old Italian manager crossed paths twice with Brazil international Casemiro at the La Liga club.
Casemiro enjoyed a remarkable playing spell at Los Blancos and the 33-year-old Brazilian was a key part of a midfield set-up alongside Toni Kroos and Luka Modric.
Ancelotti briefly managed the Manchester United midfielder at the start of his second reign before Madrid sold Casemiro to the Red Devils in the 2022 summer window.
Carlo Ancelotti drops the ultimate compliment on Man Utd star Casemiro after their time at Real Madrid
Casemiro was considered one of the best defensive midfielders during his time with Real Madrid, having arrived at the club in 2013 from Brazilian side Sao Paulo.
The Brazil midfielder lifted three La Liga titles, five Champions League trophies and a Copa del Rey before Manchester United agreed a deal worth up to £70m for him.
Speaking to Gary Lineker, Carlo Ancelotti opened up about his experience with the different Los Blancos players that he crossed paths with at the La Liga outfit.
The former Juventus and AC Milan manager admitted that Casemiro was part of several “fantastic players” who did not show an “ego” at the Spanish side.
“Talking about ego, I had the luck to find in the second period when there was [Cristiano] Ronaldo, when there was Sergio Ramos, I was lucky to find the team without ego, for example,” he said on The Rest Is Football podcast.
“There were fantastic players like Modric, Casemiro, Toni Kroos, [Dani] Carvajal, Karim Benzema, without ego.”
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Lineker was stunned by Ancelotti not having a dressing room of Madrid players who had egos, despite the winning culture that had been instilled at Los Blancos.
Responding to Ancelotti, he asked: “Really? Wow.”
Carlo Ancelotti reveals the role that Man Utd midfielder Casemiro and Co played at Real Madrid
Ancelotti has since been reunited with Casemiro after he succeeded former Brazil manager Dorival Junior as the head coach of the five-time World Cup champions.
The Brazil head coach brought the United midfielder back into the Brazil national team in the summer and Casemiro has been a key part of Ancelotti’s midfield set-up.
Ancelotti explained that the likes of Casemiro, Toni Kroos and Luka Modric had a major role in connecting with the emerging players at Madrid during his reign.
“We built a good connection between the young players that were coming out, like Vinicius [Junior], Rodrigo, [Federico] Valverde, [Eduardo] Camavinga,” he said.
“Of course, the club helped a lot because they signed fantastic players, [Jude] Bellingham, [Arda] Guler, Endrick.”
Casemiro, who is out of contract with United next summer, is tipped to play a major role for Ancelotti in Brazil’s World Cup campaign in North America in 2026.
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