Casemiro has singled out Gareth Bale as the most complete player he has ever shared a pitch with, placing the Welsh forward above his former Real Madrid teammate Cristiano Ronaldo in terms of all-around ability.
The Brazilian midfielder, currently at Manchester United, reflected on his time with the Spanish giants during an appearance on the Rio Ferdinand Presents YouTube channel. While acknowledging Ronaldo’s legendary goal-scoring prowess, Casemiro emphasized that Bale’s versatility made him a more complete footballer.
“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. 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.”
Bale’s impact at Real Madrid was immense, helping the club secure five Champions League titles and scoring 106 goals across all competitions during his stint in Spain. However, his relationship with the fanbase was often turbulent, especially toward the end of his tenure. Reflecting on that period, Bale admitted that he could have handled the scrutiny better, saying, “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, now 34, is set to see his contract at Manchester United expire at the end of next month. Reports suggest that he could join Lionel Messi at Inter Miami, as the Brazil international weighs his next move after sharing dressing rooms with some of football’s brightest stars.
