FORT LAUDERDALE — Brazilian midfielder Casemiro called Lionel Messi “one of the gods, if not the god of football” at his formal unveiling with Inter Miami CF on Thursday, two days after training alongside the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner for the first time as a teammate.
“I’ve had two days around him now, and it’s incredible,” Casemiro said. “Having played against Leo before, I already knew he was impossible to stop, but these two days have given me a lot of motivation to keep growing, to keep winning. Honestly, I’m enjoying this, and I’m glad I’m on his side of things now. I want to keep enjoying this moment.”
Casemiro formally signed with Inter Miami on July 22 as a free agent after leaving English Premier League side Manchester United. He has already debuted for the defending MLS Cup champions, going the full 90 minutes in a 1-0 win at CF Montréal last weekend — a match Messi sat out after his run to the FIFA 2026 World Cup final alongside Inter Miami teammate Rodrigo De Paul. Messi tallied eight goals and four assists in eight games for the 2022 World Cup champions during the tournament.
“A lot of people think MLS is a league that still has a long way to grow, but you have to remember the best player of the last World Cup plays in this league,” Casemiro said. “Leo was the best player of the World Cup, and he’s in MLS. So all I want to do is enjoy this, give everything to feel comfortable on the field, because for me he’s the best player in the world, and he’s arrived at this moment in his career.”
Managing owner Jorge Mas framed the signing as part of the South Florida club’s broader identity. “The signing of Casemiro, I think, captures the personality and DNA of Inter Miami,” Mas said. “As everyone knows, we’re a club that aspires to dream big, to be a reference club not just in this league, but globally. We’ve tried, in our short history, to bring in world-class talent with a human profile, players who are part of this family project, because what I’ve always wanted Inter Miami to be, above all, is a family.”
Casemiro, a five-time UEFA Champions League winner and three-time World Cup participant, joins a roster that includes iconic Uruguayan striker Luis Suárez, De Paul and defender Sergio Reguilón, who brings Premier League and LaLiga experience. Casemiro is arguably filling the role vacated by legendary Spanish midfielder Sergio Busquets, who retired after helping Inter Miami win MLS Cup 2025.
“It was a very important decision, especially because it was the first time in my career that I had the freedom to choose where I wanted to be,” Casemiro said. “I have always had a very special affection for the city, so MLS was a place where I would like to play one day. I am where I want to be. Without a doubt, I am very happy, also because of the effort they made to bring me here.”
With Messi back in training, Casemiro could link up with the iconic No. 10 as soon as Saturday’s home match against the Columbus Crew, where Inter Miami trail Nashville SC by two points for the Supporters’ Shield lead entering Matchday 19. The club also faces Atlético de San Luis on Aug. 5 in the opening round of Leagues Cup, the MLS-LIGA MX midsummer tournament Miami won in 2023.