'I could never stop him!' - Casemiro delighted to realise dream of playing alongside 'God of football' Lionel Messi and heaps praise on Erling Haaland for Brazil's World Cup destruction

Former Manchester United and Real Madrid midfielder Casemiro has officially become an Inter Miami player, and made his debut when the Herons won 1-0 over CF Montreal in MLS. The 34-year-old Brazilian international arrived on a free transfer after leaving Old Trafford upon the expiry of his contract.

Despite options to remain in European football with interested clubs in Italy, Casemiro insisted Miami was his primary destination. The defensive midfielder now joins a star-studded squad alongside former rivals Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez.

Having spent years trying to thwart Messi during intense El Clasico battles in Spain, Casemiro showered the Argentine superstar with immense praise. The midfielder admitted that attempting to stop Messi single-handedly was an impossible task throughout his career.

"The amount of trouble Messi gave me," Casemiro admitted, as quoted by ESPN. "Of course, I dreamed of playing with him, I always wanted to play with the best. I could never stop him, I always needed the help of my teammates.

"I am very happy to be alongside him now and I want to continue winning titles with him. I want to enjoy being alongside him, help him and make him even greater. He is one of the gods of football, if not the God of football himself, and I want to help."

Casemiro also reflected on Brazil's painful elimination from the 2026 World Cup at the hands of Norway. The midfielder singled out Haaland for praise after the prolific striker scored twice to knock the Selecao out of the tournament.

"What happened at the World Cup... we're talking about a team that has one of the best number 9s in the world, Haaland, and he scored twice," he said. "It hurts to talk about the World Cup because, in the end, it was a dream I had in my career. But I'm lucky to have played in three World Cups for Brazil, which is incredible, because when I was a child I never dreamed that this would happen. I enjoyed it a lot."

With his European chapter and international career behind him, Casemiro is firmly focused on adding more trophies to his cabinet in the United States. He will be looking to help Messi win a title in America, with the Herons' next match coming against Columbus in the MLS.