7 Interesting Casemiro Facts You Probably Didn't Know
Updated: Sep 18
Full Name: Carlos Henrique Casimiro
Date of Birth: 23 February 1992
Place of Birth: São José Dos Campos, Brazil
Height: 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position: Defensive Midfield
Current Team: Inter Miami
Casemiro is widely regarded as one of the outstanding defensive midfielders of his generation. The Brazilian built his reputation on winning the ball, protecting his defence and giving his more creative teammates the freedom to attack.
His influence was particularly obvious during one of Real Madrid's most successful periods, when he formed a formidable midfield partnership with Luka Modrić and Toni Kroos.
Yet despite the trophies, big matches and years spent at the highest level, there are still some interesting parts of Casemiro's career that are less well known.
Here are 7 Interesting Casemiro Facts You Probably Didn't Know
1. Casimiro or Casemiro?
Is it Casimiro or Casemiro? The Brazilian’s actual name is the subject of great debate amongst some football fans, and the truth is somewhat confusing. It’s no secret that he was born Carlos Henrique Casimiro, and logic suggests he should be known as Casimiro.
So why the misspelling of his name?
It’s not uncommon for Brazilian players to go by completely different names from the ones they were given at birth. For example, Ronaldinho's real name is Ronaldo De Assis Moreira.
The origin of Casemiro’s name apparently stems from his time at São Paulo. Rumour has it that as he became a more popular player, fans would begin to chant his name, but instead of crying ‘Casimiro’ they would pronounce it ‘Casemiro’ instead.
Interestingly, some of his past teammates also know him by the name ‘Casemiro ’, which in his native language aptly means ‘peaceful’ and perhaps a reflection of his calming nature on the pitch.
2. He Was Loaned To Real Madrid
Despite eventually evolving into a legend of the Bernabeu, Casemiro’s time in the Spanish Capital didn’t begin in the same fashion. The Brazilian was actually brought in as part of a fairly low-key loan from Brasileirão side São Paulo FC in January 2013.
Also, Casemiro wasn’t immediately included in Real Madrid’s senior squad and instead was assigned to play in the second-tier Segunda División with their B-team. It took over four months for Casemiro to earn his La Liga debut, finally making an appearance in a 3-1 home victory against Real Betis. In June 2014, he signed a four-year deal with a fee of nearly £15 million.
But his new contract wouldn’t signal Casemiro’s immediate success, and he was again loaned out, this time to Porto for the duration of the 2014/15 season, making 41 appearances in Portugal and scoring four goals.
3. His Nickname Is ‘The Tank’
Casemiro isn’t particularly known by any nicknames within the media or fanbases. But over the course of his career, he’s actually had two! Born in São José Dos Campos, the Brazilian was raised in the city’s football youth system and became Captain of his local side at age eleven.
As a youngster, he was handed the nickname ‘Destroyer’ by the Brazilian press, who recognised his competitive style, energy, and thirst to win the ball. Casemiro was also renowned for his willingness to track and press the opposition whilst covering a lot of ground during every game.
This reputation quickly grew, and after moving to Real Madrid, Spanish newspaper Marca rebranded him as ‘The Tank.’ With maturity, he’d added to his previous skill set a sense of consistency, a strong mentality, and an endless determination to win.
Both nicknames imply an overly aggressive player with a beastly nature, which is partly accurate, although Casemiro does have a good disciplinary record, and his poise has been compared to the pioneer of the defensive midfielder role - Real Madrid and Chelsea legend Claude Makélélé.
4. He Has Had His Share of Injury Problems
Casemiro built a reputation as one of the most durable and physically demanding midfielders in the game. But his career has not been completely free of injury problems.
The Brazilian has experienced a number of spells on the sidelines during his career, including muscle and ankle problems as well as a more serious leg injury during his Real Madrid career.
That is particularly interesting given the demands of his position. Casemiro's role requires him to cover ground, compete for challenges and constantly put his body between the opposition and his defence.
Despite those physical demands, he still managed to build a remarkable career at Real Madrid, making 336 appearances for the club before moving on.
5. He Has Won an Extraordinary Number of Honours
Casemiro has one of the most impressive trophy collections of any Brazilian midfielder. His most successful period came at Real Madrid.
He won 18 trophies with the Spanish club, including five European Cups, three FIFA Club World Cups, three UEFA Super Cups, three La Liga titles, one Copa del Rey and three Spanish Super Cups.
He also won the Copa América with Brazil. His first major club honour came before Real Madrid, when he helped São Paulo win the Copa Sudamericana.
The scale of his success at Madrid is particularly impressive because Casemiro was not usually the player receiving the headlines.
While Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Luka Modrić and others often attracted much of the attention, Casemiro provided the defensive platform that allowed those attacking players to express themselves.
He was also named Player of the Match in the 2022 UEFA Super Cup in what proved to be his final competitive appearance for Real Madrid.
6. Jose Mourinho is One Of His Biggest Fans
There aren’t many better endorsements than those that come from one of the greatest managers in the sport's history. In 2013, towards the end of his time as Real Madrid boss, Mourinho revealed to Casemiro exactly how highly he regarded his Brazilian midfielder.
“[He told me] 'I know you, you are good, and you are going to be the best central midfielder in the world',” Casemiro told Spanish newspaper Cope back in 2018.
“He gave me this confidence. I left the dressing room believing that I was Cristiano Ronaldo. “I was left believing that I was the best in the world. The confidence and energy that he gave me was incredible. I was left believing that I was the best in the world. The confidence and energy that he gave me was incredible.”
7. He Wanted to Help Manchester United Before He Had Even Arrived
Casemiro's move to Manchester United in 2022 was one of the biggest transfers of his career, but the story behind his decision to join the club was particularly interesting.
After watching United lose heavily to Brentford early in the 2022/23 season, Casemiro reportedly became determined to help solve the problems he had seen.
The midfielder eventually made the move from Real Madrid to Manchester United after completing one of the most successful periods of his career in Spain.
By then, he was arriving at Old Trafford with five European Cups, three La Liga titles and a reputation as one of the world's leading defensive midfielders.
Real Madrid's official announcement of the transfer described him as one of the key players in one of the most successful periods in the club's history.
His move to Manchester United therefore represented more than a change of club.
It was the next chapter for a midfielder who had already achieved almost everything at Real Madrid.
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