Man United midfielder Casemiro has sparked debate in football circles after revealing his views on two of the biggest stars he shared a dressing room with during his time at Real Madrid, Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale.
As reported by BBC Sport on Wednesday, speaking on the *Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, the Brazilian midfielder, who spent nine years at the Spanish giants and won multiple Champions League titles, was asked to assess the talent he played alongside at the peak of Madrid’s dominance.
Casemiro was quick to make a clear distinction.
For him, Ronaldo stands alone at the very top of football greatness.
He described the Portuguese forward as being “in another world,” praising his relentless goal-scoring ability and consistency year after year.
However, when the conversation shifted from pure greatness to all-around ability, Casemiro highlighted Bale as the most “complete” player he has ever shared the pitch with.
He praised the Welshman’s blend of attributes pace, strength, aerial power, attacking threat and defensive contribution, suggesting that Bale could influence every phase of the game.
In his words, Bale is “attack, defend, heads, scores,” and “unbelievable” in how well-rounded his skill set is.
“Cristiano is the best, he’s in another world. Take Cristiano out of the conversation. But for me, Bale is the best, most complete player.
“Everything he does [is] very good. Very quick. Too strong. For me Bale is unbelievable.”
The comments have naturally reignited discussion among fans about how to define greatness in football: whether it is dominance in one area, like Ronaldo’s extraordinary goal output, or versatility across all facets of the game, as Casemiro attributes to Bale.
During his time at Madrid, Casemiro was part of a legendary era that produced multiple Champions League and La Liga titles, playing alongside some of the most decorated players in modern football history.
