Manchester United have four Brazil players heading to the World Cup, including on loan defender Alex Telles.
Casemiro, Antony and Fred complete the quartet looking to win Brazil’s first World Cup since 2002.
PSG forward Neymar is the team’s talisman, but according to former Brazil international Hernanes, it is Manchester United’s Casemiro who is the team’s most important player.
The former Inter Milan and Lazio midfielder was quoted talking up Casemiro by Italian outlet TMW.
‘Casemiro is more important than Neymar’
Hernanes said: “Casemiro has been playing at six in an incredible way, he is the steering wheel and the director, perhaps he is even more important than Neymar, who of course when he is 100% is phenomenal.
“Thiago Silva, Marquinhos, Dani Alves, of whom I am a fan: I admire him a lot as people and as a professional. There is also Vinicius Junior, he has had an incredible growth.”
Casemiro has 65 caps for Brazil and this will be his second World Cup, having missed out on the squad in 2014.
In 2018 he played four matches, before being suspended for the semi-final which Brazil lost against Belgium. With one draw and three wins, Casemiro has never lost a World Cup match.
Purely on this, there is some merit to Hernanes’ claim Casemiro is even more important than Neymar, especially if you look back and see the way Belgium scored on the counter attack in this game, Casemiro would have likely been able to stop it.
Now in 2022, Casemiro may be at his peak, helping Real Madrid to win the Champions League last season, and further sharpening and testing himself by signing for Manchester United, rather than staying in his comfort zone.
It would be great to see him thrive at the World Cup and return to Old Trafford as a champion, along with his teammates.
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