Casemiro puts 'unbelievable' Gareth Bale above Cristiano Ronaldo as 'most complete' player he has ever worked with

Casemiro has named Bale as the most complete player he has worked with during his career, despite sharing a dressing room with Ronaldo at Real Madrid. Speaking on the Rio Ferdinand Presents YouTube channel, the Brazilian midfielder reflected on the remarkable talent within Madrid’s squad during their dominant era in Europe.

While Ronaldo’s goalscoring exploits made him the standout star for many observers, Casemiro pointed to Bale’s broader influence across the pitch. The midfielder explained that Bale’s ability to contribute in multiple phases of play – from attacking to defending – made him stand out among the elite players he encountered at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Casemiro contrasted Ronaldo’s extraordinary scoring record with Bale’s versatility when discussing the pair, and emphasising the physical and technical qualities that defined Bale’s game.

"Cristiano scores, Cristiano has 15 goals. Minimum 15 goals. But Bale attacks, defends, heads, scores, fouls," Casemiro explained. "Cristiano is the best. Cristiano is the best. Cristiano is another one. Cristiano gives the... Take Cristiano off the conversation. But for me, Bale is the best, more complete. Because he attacks, he defends, he scores the head, foul. Everything, he does very good, very quick. Too strong. And for me, Bale is an unbelievable player. Unbelievable player."

Bale played a key role during one of the most successful periods in Real Madrid’s history. The Welsh winger helped the club win five Champions League titles during his time in Spain and scored 106 goals across all competitions. Despite those achievements, his relationship with sections of the Madrid fanbase was often strained. Bale frequently faced criticism in the Spanish media, particularly toward the latter stages of his stay at the club.

Reflecting on that period previously, Bale admitted he might have handled the scrutiny differently. As quoted by Mirror, he said: "I think for Real Madrid I don’t think that was enough for the fans. I was stubborn and I didn’t want to change but if I played the game a bit better, I would have been less targeted by the press and the fans."

Casemiro remains one of the few players to have shared dressing rooms with some of football’s most celebrated names across club and international football. However, at 34 and with his contract at Man Utd set to expire at the end of next month, the Brazil international has a decision to make on his future, with reports claiming the midfielder could join Lionel Messi at Inter Miami.