After the era of glorified talented Barca midfield trio of Sergio Busquets, Xavi Hernández and Andrés Iniesta, the footballing world has been seeking the next set of midfield engines that live up to the expectation of the former.
It didn't take long until Luka Modrić, Toni Kroos and workhorse Casemiro led Real Madrid to secure five UEFA Champions League titles, and the world realized that they need not wait further.
Main Stand uncovers the story of an intelligent, powerful, and tricky Casemiro, a footballer whom Manchester United splashed out €70 million with a €20 million wage per year.
Dancing the same samba tune as his peers
Before his success as one of the world's most formidable defensive midfielders, Casemiro shared the same background as his Brazilian peers.
Born into a poor family, many Brazilians considered football an escape valve from poverty. Since the Samba nation is home to iconic attacking players like Pelé, Romario, Ronaldo and Ronaldinho, Casimero hoped to share the same craving to be a formidable attacker.
Casemiro was born in São Paulo, a city teeming with children who dream of being professional footballers like their idols. However, en route to success, like many others before him, he was required to be selected to an academy.
São Paulo was the city's club, so several children applied for the selection of every level each year. And, of course, those selected outnumbered those who managed to pass the selection stage.
Casemiro participated in the selection at ten but was not picked until 12.
"I arrived in São Paulo when I was 11 or 12 years old, and there were 300 people… It was a trial and they were going to select 50 players," Casemiro said.
"I played up front because I had a good physique, but I remember that the coach asked who was a goalkeeper and then three people raised their hand and then he asked who was a forward and 50 people raised their hand and I kept my hand down.
"He then asked who a No.10 was and there were another 50 with their hands up.
"Then he asked who was a defensive midfielder and eight players put their hands up and I said, I'm a defensive midfielder," recounted Casemiro, who started to learn how to play as a defensive midfielder and has been playing this position ever since.
Casemiro said that his opportunity to play for a youth football team was a new experience because he lived in a slum, and both he and his mother needed to find a new place to sleep regularly. But, understanding hardships, Casemiro would not lose what was given.
"I had a room, food, air conditioning and a TV. That's more than I've had before," said Casemiro.
Casemiro was so enthusiastic that it prevailed over serious diseases. Then, when he was 14, he was diagnosed with hepatitis. He was so sick that he needed to stay in bed.
However, after a three-month treatment, he made a stunning return to the pitch. As a result, he was upgraded to play against senior players. When he was 18, he successfully signed with São Paulo and eventually was selected to be part of the senior team's squad.
Adjusting to living up to European football’s standard
Casemiro played for São Paulo for three years as a senior team player, making over a hundred appearances. Contrary to outmoded midfielders who only cut off the ball, he played like a modern midfielder with accurate passing and long balls.
Beyond that, his ball retention was superb, and he rarely lost the ball.
His talents draw staff from multiple sides to observe his form in Brazil. In 2012, Casemiro finally signed for European giant Real Madrid, managed by Jose Mourinho.
He first played for Real Madrid Castilla, and later was released to play for Porto in the 2014-15 season. He was given more chances on the pitch during his spell in Portugal and learned much more.
"I worked very hard to make myself useful. I have to prioritize everything in life. I learned how to play the no. 6 position from Portugal," said Casemiro.
"For the no. 6 role, it's different from other players on the pitch. The main objective is to win the ball back. So therefore, the first thing I focus on after the game is how many times I won the ball back or intercepted the opposition's pass.
"Of course, everyone likes to score, to make a nice play, but my happiness comes from recovering the ball."
When the loan deal with Porto ended, Casemiro returned to Real Madrid amidst many changes.
First, Carlo Ancelotti was sacked from his managerial position, replaced by Rafael Benítez in June 2015. However, Benítez managed the team for only half a season and was replaced by Zinedine Zidane, Casemiro's coach in Castilla.
Zidane viewed Casemiro as a lynchpin of the team. He was a No.6 player in the 4-3-3 system.
Simply put, Zidane wanted to carve out a player to be like defensive midfielder Claude Makélélé who perfected Real Madrid and won a UEFA Champions League title in the Zidane era.
"Zidane is a specialist. He knows every player's importance. But Makelele wouldn't have been as meaningful without Zidane. Or me without Toni (Kroos) or Luka (Modric). Fede (Federico Valverde) now, or Isco," said Casemiro.
He made consecutive appearances when working with Zidane, who was aware of his physical capabilities. Since 2016, that defensive midfielder position has been dominated by Casemiro, both in the club and national team.
Upon playing alongside exceptional players such as Modrić and Kroos, he discovered a tack for making him a significant threat as a defensive midfielder which needed three traits.
Shrewdness, power, and trickiness
Shrewdness is an attitude that Casemiro is portrayed. Benítez called him a good listener, Julen Lopetegui named him a joy to coach, and Zidane referred to him as a player who always wants to improve. Having been described in those ways, Casemiro has developed his skills all along.
"I love to learn — I watch back, see the errors, evaluate. I love that. People say I think like a coach. I always try to read the game, the other team's mind, their coach, and what they're trying to do. So often, the smallest details – a meter either way – change everything."
"I have Wyscout (football analytics platform) and watch everything, from China or anywhere. My wife gets annoyed. It's my work. There's a time for everything, but it's my job. And I love it. My life is football. I have to think permanently about football," said Casemiro.
Apart from shrewdness, power is a must. In 2016, Zidane told him to attempt to possess and pass the ball and venture deeper into the opposition half to be a choice for his teammates. Therefore, he needed to rely on physical qualities such as speed, strength, and power to dispossess the ball.
"I remember when Zizou joined the club, I didn't play for the first five games. Then, he looked at me and told me to calm down and that I wouldn't stop playing again when I started playing.
"My aggressiveness comes when I go for the ball. I don't care if it's the second minute or the last. I'm always going for the ball like a plate of food. I always go for the ball as if it's my last chance," continued Casemiro.
As stated above, shrewdness makes him envision the game. Attitudes allow him to learn. Power infuriates his performance. One last quality needed for defensive midfielders is trickiness.
Trickiness does not deal with possessing the ball while tricking a few players.
In other words, as a defensive midfielder, he couldn't help but kick or intercept the ball against the opponents aggressively. That's why art is required when it comes to defending the ball. He had to find out how to thwart the opponents, coming away cleanly with the ball without receiving a yellow card and penalty.
Casemiro revealed his secret behind these skills. He said that he needs to think thoroughly before tackling the ball. Simply put, he does it in a calm and well-thought-out way so that it does not look like he is cutting off the ball. Instead, he does it as if it were common dispossession but full of aggressiveness.
Casemiro is a gift for defenders and the other midfielders who have played alongside him. Shrewdness, power, and trickiness make a prolific player such as Casemiro.
Being a defensive midfielder at the age of 30 with a €70 million transfer fee and €20 million annual wage is a testament to the fact that he is a sought-after player.
Self-discipline, concrete goal setting, and self-development regularly epitomize an indestructible defensive midfielder named Casemiro.
Sources:
https://therealchamps.com/2020/02/11/real-madrid-casemiro-clearly-worlds-best-defensive-midfielder/
https://www.marca.com/en/football/real-madrid/2019/10/14/5da45fc922601d5d318b45d0.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casemiro
https://www.transfermarkt.com/casemiro/profil/spieler/16306
https://www.mozzartsport.co.ke/football/news/never-give-up-the-casemiro-story/1601
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2484772-casemiro-exclusive-brazil-star-on-his-evolution-at-porto-and-copa-america-hopes
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2020/aug/05/casemiro-zidane-real-madrid-defensive-midfielder-manchester-city
https://www.goal.com/en/news/12/spanish-football/2016/03/09/21142582/someone-has-to-carry-the-piano-for-real-madrid-brazil-coach
