Jamie Carragher has opened up on his brutal criticism of Man United star Casemiro in 2024 when he suggested the midfielder was finished at the top level.
Casemiro, 34, largely underwhelmed in his first three seasons at Old Trafford after arriving from Real Madrid for £70million in the summer of 2022.
The Brazilian has enjoyed a significant upturn in form in 2025-26, however, playing a crucial role in the Red Devils qualifying for the Champions League.
Casemiro, who has scored nine Premier League goals, is set to depart on a free transfer this summer and has significantly improved his standing among United’s fanbase, with many calls for the club to offer him a new contract.
It is a far cry from April 2024 when Carragher urged him ‘to leave the football before the football leaves you – the football has left him,’ after a brutal 3-0 defeat by Crystal Palace.
Casemiro finally broke his silence on that criticism this week, describing it as ‘disrespectful’.
Jamie Carragher has opened on his brutal criticism of Man United star Casemiro in April 2024
After a tough defeat at Crystal Palace (pictured above), Carragher urged Casemiro ‘to leave the football before the football leaves you’ and added that ‘the football has left him’
And Liverpool legend Carragher responded in his Telegraph column on Friday, admitting his ‘brutal’ suggestions have ‘aged badly’.
He admitted his claims that Casemiro was ‘finished’ at the top level ‘was too harsh and premature’, but insisted they ‘were not controversial’ at the time.
He added: ‘In 2024, Casemiro was unfit, lacked the physicality and athleticism to cope with quicker, sharper opponents, and was exposed when used in a deeper role, either in midfield or at centre-back as he was that night at Selhurst Park.
‘My 2024 remarks were not personal. They were made about one of the best players of his generation with a feeling of reluctance and sadness, and were also based on what United needed to get back to a level where they are challenging for the league title and Champions League – something the club does not need reminding they are still some way from doing.
‘That particular fixture reminded me of seeing a world-class boxer well past his prime who was determined to keep getting into the ring, but was taking so many punches it made for uncomfortable viewing.’
However, Carragher insisted that although Casemiro has since revived his career, ‘we have never seen the Real Madrid version’ of the Brazilian since he’s been at United.
He acknowledged that Casemiro is well within his rights to suggest that his remarks were ‘disrespectful’, adding that he didn’t mean to do that.
Carragher instead claimed he was merely comparing the Brazilian to the high standards he set for himself during his time at Real when he won 17 trophies, including five Champions Leagues.
The pundit went on to discuss how Casemiro has changed perceptions over his time at Old Trafford, although he added context to his earlier criticism and said United were only able to sign him in 2022 because Real believed ‘his best days were over’.
Casemiro has revived his United career this season ahead of his departure in the summer
He explained: ‘There is a reason why the United hierarchy are allowing him to leave on a free transfer at the end of the season, happy to search for his replacement rather than offer another year, even though he is contributing more aged 34 than he was aged 32.
‘And for all those arguing the criticism in 2024 was completely wrong, ask yourselves this: if United could go back in time, would they still have signed Casemiro?’
He continued: ‘When the dust settles, no amount of rewriting history will change this fact: the next time a player of Casemiro’s age and status is available for the same salary and transfer fee, United will learn from experience and say, “thanks, but no thanks”.’
In total, Casemiro has played 159 times for the Red Devils over the past four seasons, scoring 26 goals along the way.
He will have two more opportunities to pull on the United shirt, with Michael Carrick’s side hosting Nottingham Forest on Sunday before they travel to Brighton on the final day.
