Casemiro has confessed that Gareth Bale is the “most complete player” he’s played alongside in his career – despite Rio Ferdinand’s shock that he didn’t name Cristiano Ronaldo.
The outgoing Manchester United midfielder was part of a golden age at Los Blancos, where he won numerous trophies alongside some of the game’s modern greats. They include the likes of Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Luka Modric, Sergio Ramos and Toni Kroos.
But it is Bale, who made a then world-record move to Real from Tottenham in 2013, that left a huge mark on Casemiro. The Welshman began life as a left-back before making his way up the pitch as he continued to develop.
By the time he hit his peaks years Bale was a prolific left winger, who scored in two Champions League finals for Madrid, bagging a match-winning brace in 2018, and Casemiro insists his all round game was unmatched.
He the Rio Ferdinand Presents YouTube Channel: “Cristiano scores, Cristiano has 15 goals. Minimum 15 goals. But Bale attacks, defends, heads, scores, fouls. Cristiano is the best. Cristiano is the best. Cristiano is another one. Cristiano gives the… Take Cristiano off the conversation. But for me, Bale is the best, more complete.”
Casemiro went on to add: “Because he attacks, he defends, he scores the head, foul. Everything, he does very good, very quick. Too strong. And for me, Bale is an unbelievable player. Unbelievable player.”
Ferdinand cut a stunned figure as he also underlined how Casemiro played with both Ronaldinho and Neymar on the international scene. They, as well as Ronaldo, were sensational in the final third but Bale’s ability to be effective in both thirds clearly set him apart in the Brazilian’s mind.
View 2 ImagesGareth Bale scored one of the great Champions League final goals
Bale would spent just shy of a decade at Real, scoring 106 times during a spell that did divide opinion. He was never universally loved by the Bernabeu fans but did contribute to a number of their successes. He claimed three La Liga triumphs and was part of five Champions League victories.
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The Welshman has previously admitted: “I think for Real Madrid I don’t think that was enough for the fans. I was stubborn and I didn’t want to change but if I played the game a bit better, I would have been less targeted by the press and the fans.”
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