CASEMIRO became a father figure at Real Madrid despite his dad walking out on him when he was five.
The Brazilian, 30, battled a troubled upbringing in a poverty-stricken neighbourhood called Sao Jose Dos Campos just outside of São Paulo.
His father abandoned him, his two siblings and their mother Maria – who was forced to juggle numerous jobs to make ends meet.
Casemiro, as the eldest child, bravely stepped up to be the man of the house and it shaped him into the great leader he is today.
In 2018 the midfielder said: “If I see him on the street today, I won’t recognise him,
“He had a serious fight with my mother when I was five and left the family for my mother to manage.
“I’ve wanted to meet him because I have no grudge against him. It was what God wanted for me. That’s why I have always left it just the way it is.”
Manchester United’s shiny £70million signing will no doubt have been thinking back to his humble beginnings when he rocked up to the club’s plush Carrington base for his first day of training on Thursday.
When the midfielder flew the nest at age 11 to play for Sao Paulo’s youth team he was left stunned by simply having his own bedroom, food, air conditioning and a TV for the first time.
Who knows what was going through his head when he actually played at the Theatre of Dreams at age 15 with Sao Paolo in the Nike Cup.
Casemiro never forgets his past and once broke down in tears in 2018 in an interview when he recalled not being able to afford a particular Brazilian yoghurt drink as a kid.
Through tears he said: “As a child I always wanted to drink these, but we never had the money. It didn’t cost much, around 20 cents.”
Those memories only made him stronger and his Real Madrid teammates have tipped him to become a world-class manager when he eventually hangs up his boots.
Spanish football expert Guillermo Raimundo told SunSport: “He came from a poor background and that has helped his character.
“He is a leader because he knows his origins and that’s always in his mind.
“Casemiro was a leader at Real, a big voice, everyone heard him. Among the Brazilian players he was like a father to the youngsters Vini Jr, Rodrigo and Militao.
“He doesn’t need to be a captain to be a leader. I think the same will happen at United.”
TAKE NO PRISONERS
The Brazilian battler is certainly expected to thrive in the blood and thunder of the English top-flight.
Barcelona journalists describe Casemiro as the “bad guy in a movie who you want on your team but not against it” that is known in parts of Spain “as a bit of a b***ard.”
Prem officials might be quaking in their boots considering he orders dossiers on every referee so he knows how best to deal with them.
Casemiro is no stranger to a tough tackle and was booked 16 times last season in 48 matches.
He enjoyed a glittering nine-year spell at the Bernabeu, most notably winning five Champions Leagues and three LaLiga titles after arriving in 2013.
The Brazilian was loved at Los Blancos particularly by his midfield pals Toni Kroos and Luka Modric who personally wrote a joint farewell letter to him ahead of his United transfer.
Casemiro built a great relationship with Real president Florentino Perez and it is thought it will not take him long to seduce the under-fire Glazers.
Raimundo added: “He loves to learn the philosophy of a club. He was born at Real Madrid and I think the same thing will happen at United.
“He will have a good relationship with everyone at the club and that will help him to adapt.
“He had a great relationship with Florentino Perez and I’m sure he will with the United directors.”
SOURCE: thesun.ie
