Casemiro hits back at ‘bitter’ Jamie Carragher over infamous dig at Man Utd star | Football | Sport
Casemiro believes that Jamie Carragher‘s “leave the football” jibs from two years ago was probably driven by “bitterness” following his cherished Liverpool‘s double defeat to Real Madrid in Champions League finals. The veteran midfielder will leave Manchester United this summer despite experiencing a resurgence under Michael Carrick. He’s been instrumental to their recovery, which will see them qualify for the Champions League following a disappointing few months.
Casemiro has been pivotal, turning back the clock and resembling the player who was so influential at Real. During his spell at the Bernabeu, he lifted the Champions League five times, beating Liverpool in finals in 2018 and 2022, and suspects Carragher may have been unsettled by those occasions when he delivered his infamous dig at him.
Back in 2024, when United were enduring a dreadful spell of results, Casemiro was targeted with Carragher insisting he needed to exit the Premier League.
He said: “This has to stop because we are watching one of the greats of the modern time. I always remember the saying ‘leave the football before the football leaves you’. The football has left him.
“At this top level, he needs to call it a day at this level and move. The level of that player, he should not be putting himself through this.
“He is too good of a player to be putting in a performance like that being laughed at by Crystal Palace. He needs to call it a day.”
Casemiro was pressed on those remarks and told TNT Sports Brazil: “Everyone says whatever they want on television. I’m not someone who gets involved in that.
“But it’s a bit normal, because I won two Champions League titles over his team. Maybe after you win two titles against his club, there’s still some bitterness there.”
Carragher has since reversed his stance on those comments, prompting the United midfielder to extend an olive branch.
He said: “I respect his opinion. I don’t hold any resentment. The important thing is that he recognised he was wrong and changed his opinion. That’s what matters most.”
Casemiro has delivered several crucial goals, enjoying his finest ever campaign in front of goal, with Carragher acknowledging he would have to take it on the chin should the Brazilian wish to hit back.
He said: “Considering what he’s producing this season in the Premier League, and not just Fulham at home, you think what he did last week against Arsenal away and Manchester City at home.
“Casemiro is well within his rights to, if he wants to come back at me and say, ‘leave the punditry before the punditry’s left you!’ He could definitely get one of those back in. Credit to him, he looks a completely different player.”
