Casemiro wins first silverware with Inter Miami

Manchester United’s midfield rebuild this summer was shaped in large part by one departure that had been coming for months.

Casemiro informed United back in January that he would leave once his contract expired on 30 June, with the club having already decided against triggering the 12-month extension built into his deal.

His exit brought an end to a four-year spell at Old Trafford that began with genuine promise, an outstanding debut season under Erik ten Hag that finally gave United the defensive midfield anchor they had lacked for years.

What followed proved a steep decline, his mobility and defensive positioning deteriorating badly enough that he became a target for criticism rather than the solution United once hoped for, before a genuine renaissance under Michael Carrick last season saw him produce 9 goals and 2 assists in the Premier League.

He left United having won the League Cup in 2023, reached two FA Cup finals and lifted the trophy in 2024, and featured in United’s run to the Europa League final in 2025.

Casemiro wins first title with Inter Miami

Casemiro has now added another piece of silverware to that collection, scoring in Inter Miami’s 2-0 win over Cruz Azul on Wednesday night to claim the Campeones Cup, his first trophy since completing a free transfer to Florida.

Lionel Messi opened the scoring in the 24th minute, heading in a cross from Luis Suarez for his 100th goal in 115 appearances across all competitions for Miami.

Casemiro doubled the lead in the 81st minute, heading in a corner delivered by Messi himself, continuing a rich vein of form that has now brought him four goals, all headers, in his last five matches.

He had scored in three consecutive games against CF Montreal, Atlanta United and Chicago before being held scoreless against Nashville at the weekend.

Casemiro’s move to Miami reunited him with a host of familiar faces from his Real Madrid days, having faced Messi and Suarez repeatedly in El Clasico battles that also regularly featured Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets.

He also linked back up with Sergio Reguilon, his former teammate at both Real Madrid and United, who had joined Inter Miami as a free agent the previous winter.