India, Feb. 19 -- Manchester United midfielder Casemiro candidly reflected on the challenges he faced when attempting to contend with Lionel Messi, whom he regards as one of the greatest players in football history. During his tenure at Real Madrid, Casemiro frequently clashed with Messi, who was then the standout player for Barcelona. Despite their competitive encounters, the two maintained a respectful rapport.

In addition to facing Messi, Casemiro also played alongside Cristiano Ronaldo at both Real Madrid and Manchester United, collaborating with the Portuguese forward to counter Messi's influence during his time at Barcelona.

When recently questioned about who he believed was superior, Messi or Ronaldo, Casemiro expressed admiration for the former Barcelona icon.

"I could never stop him on my own," the United midfielder stated in an interview with Diario AS. "It was impossible."

The accomplished midfielder, who celebrated three consecutive Champions League titles with Madrid, acknowledged that he required assistance from his fellow midfielders and defender Sergio Ramos to contain Messi. Throughout his career in European club football, Messi scored 26 goals and provided 14 assists against Real Madrid, contributing to Barcelona's victory in 20 out of 47 encounters.

"I needed help from Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, Sergio Ramos... but just me, impossible. He was unstoppable."

"It's difficult to explain," he added.

Casemiro remarked on the presence of one of the greatest players in football history, Ronaldo, emphasizing that both he and Messi have significantly transformed the game.

"Messi is undoubtedly one of the finest players in history, but we also had Cristiano Ronaldo. The contributions of both players are unparalleled. In my era, the best were Cristiano and Messi; they have greatly influenced football and altered its course," he stated.

The Brazilian midfielder drew a parallel between the influence of Messi and Ronaldo on football and that of Pep Guardiola, who transformed the game with his tiki-taka approach.

"Just as Guardiola revolutionized football with tiki-taka, these two players have made their mark as well. Scoring 50 goals a season became a norm for them. Their legacies will remain etched in our memories," he continued.

Currently, Casemiro is facing challenges at Manchester United, where the team has recorded 12 losses in 25 Premier League matches this season, placing them in 15th position. Should the situation not improve, a significant restructuring may be necessary during the upcoming summer transfer window, which could potentially lead to Casemiro's departure from the club. 

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