'I will never get tired' — Casemiro bows to Messi despite 12-year friendship with Ronaldo

The Brazilian midfielder, who scored the second goal in Wednesday’s victory over Cruz Azul, did not hold back when praising his new teammate.

Speaking after the match, Casemiro said: “He is the best. I will never get tired of saying it; he proved it in the World Cup, and he keeps proving it. With him, everything’s easier.”

The comments carry extra weight given Casemiro’s long-standing relationship with Cristiano Ronaldo.

The pair spent nearly a decade together at Real Madrid, winning multiple Champions League titles side by side, and have remained close friends since.

Speaking in an interview during his time at Old Trafford, Casemiro said, "Cris is a great friend of ours… He is an exceptional person.”

Despite that deep bond, the former Manchester United midfielder has repeatedly placed Messi above everyone else.

Messi opened the scoring in the 24th minute with a header, his 100th goal for Inter Miami, before delivering the corner that Casemiro headed home late on to seal the trophy.

The win added another piece of silverware to Messi’s remarkable collection, extending his record as the footballer with the most trophies in the sport.

Meanwhile, Messi, who recently announced his retirement from international football, will play one last time for Argentina in a friendly game against Benin Republic.

The key fixture is on 6 October at River Plate’s Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires, a match officially designated as his farewell appearance.

AFA president Claudio Tapia explained the decision after discussions with head coach Lionel Scaloni:

“We decided to invite the best player in the world, our icon, our captain, Lionel Messi, so that he can have the farewell he deserves on October 6.”