About 2 years ago, many experts in the Premier League thought Casemiro should retire. They predicted that the Brazilian midfielder had declined and should leave top football before his career ended incompletely.
But Carlo Ancelotti does not think so. The Italian strategist once regretted losing Casemiro in the transfer deal from Real Madrid to Manchester United. And when taking over the Brazilian national team, one of his first decisions was to recall Casemiro after 18 months of being eliminated.
In the book "Dream: Breaking the Champions League record", Ancelotti describes Casemiro as "a stable rhythm in the center of midfield". With a background as a former central midfielder, he sees Casemiro as his stretcher on the field - the one who brings structure, shields the defense and initiates attacks.
Support for this decision is very clear. According to a survey by Globo Esporte before the friendly match with France, Casemiro is the player who received the most votes from fans, even surpassing Vinicius Junior.
And on the field at Foxborough, he partly explained that.
Right from the beginning of the match, Casemiro had an important tackle in front of the penalty area. He continuously made accurate long passes to Raphinha, while creating danger himself with a long shot and a header from a set-piece situation. His ability to recover the ball, regulate and participate in attack is clearly shown.
However, the first half was not perfect for the Man United star. Kylian Mbappe opened the score for France after Casemiro lost the ball in midfield. However, the bigger problem lies in the defense system, when Leo Pereira - in his debut match - handled it unsafely and was overtaken too easily.
The 1-2 defeat to France shows structural limitations rather than personal issues. Ancelotti is testing an attacking system with four strikers including Raphinha, Vinicius, Matheus Cunha and Gabriel Martinelli. When there is enough force, Estevao may be present.
However, this arrangement left the midfield with only two players. In the context of Bruno Guimaraes' injury, Casemiro had to shoulder most of the responsibility, easily leading to overload and inferiority in number - which was clearly shown in the first goal conceded.
After the match, Ancelotti still seemed satisfied. He said that Ederson did not have to work too much and the strikers actively supported the defense, especially Cunha. He also emphasized that this system only works effectively if the attacking players accept sacrifice for the team.
However, a big question remains open. The 2026 World Cup will take place in harsh weather conditions, especially in cities like Miami. At the age of 34, can Casemiro take on the role in the two-man midfield with such high intensity?
Another option is to switch to a three-midfielder formation, strengthening balance. Names like Danilo or Lucas Paqueta may be the solution.
Ancelotti still has many things to consider. He may not be satisfied with Vinicius's performance, or the team's failure to take advantage when the opponent is only 10 people left. Even the cheers for Neymar in the stands also show no small pressure.
But above all, the biggest problem is still the squad structure. When Brazil won the 1994 World Cup, they succeeded thanks to a dense midfield - something that Ancelotti himself witnessed when he was in the Italian coaching staff.
Selecao is currently going in the opposite direction. And in the harsh summer heat, the question is whether Casemiro can keep pace in midfield alone, or will he perform better in a more balanced three-midfielder system?
