Manchester United midfielder Casemiro has issued a blunt warning to his Brazil teammates.
Brazil will be aiming to win their sixth World Cup in 2026, and end their drought since 2002.
Despite Casemiro’s unprecedented success at club level with Real Madrid in the 2010s, international success has passed him by.
The 2022 World Cup saw Brazil eliminated by Croatia in the quarter-finals in a shock result, and the Selecao just received a worrying flashback.
Brazil lost 3-2 in an international friendly to Japan, and Casemiro is taking the defeat seriously.
2026 will likely be Casemiro’s final chance to win the World Cup, and leaning on the experience of past defeats, he knows that just one game can ruin everything.
Casemiro’s warning
Brazil had led 2-0 against Japan at half-time, before conceding three second half goals to lose the game 3-2.
While it was only a friendly, Casemiro wanted to make sure his Brazil teammates learned from their defeat to Japan.
The Manchester United midfielder told ESPN: “If you sleep for 45 minutes, it could cost you a World Cup, a Copa America, a four-year dream, and you’ll learn from it. It’s the details that make all the difference.
“At this high level, you have to maintain a better balance.
“I felt more motivated, I wanted to end the preparation, these 12 days of preparation, on a high note, and perhaps we threw away an excellent preparation we had after 45 minutes. The high level is there.
“45 minutes can cost a childhood dream.”
Casemiro returns to Manchester United now, with a little added fire and frustration. He can take this into a crucial game for the Red Devils away at Liverpool up next.
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