At 34 years old, Casemiro is preparing for what would be only his third World Cup, yet that does not diminish his status as one of the veteran figures in Carlo Ancelotti’s Brazil squad. Trusted by the Italian manager, who previously coached him at Real Madrid, the experienced midfielder has embraced a leadership role alongside Neymar.

FULL FOCUS IN CAMP

Determined to end Brazil’s 24-year World Cup drought, Casemiro is eager to help the Seleção return to the top of world football at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. He made that clear by becoming the first player to arrive at Brazil’s training camp in the Sao Paulo countryside at the Brazilian Football Confederation’s (CBF) High Performance Center.

After wrapping up his stint with Manchester United in the English Premier League, Casemiro enjoyed a resurgence that earned him a return to the national team, despite many believing his international career was over following his departure from Real Madrid in 2023.

Fernando Diniz stopped calling him up for World Cup qualifiers after November 2023, and Dorival Júnior followed the same path. That allowed Casemiro to fully focus on the Red Devils, eventually paving the way for his return to the Seleção under Ancelotti for matches against Ecuador (0-0), Paraguay (1-0), and Chile (3-0). He also featured in Brazil’s 2025 friendlies against South Korea, Japan, Senegal, Tunisia, France, and Croatia, even wearing the captain’s armband on several occasions.

Casemiro reclaimed his place in the squad well before Neymar, who was included in the final roster at the last minute.

DISCIPLINE AND LUXURY

To ensure players arrived on time for Brazil’s first World Cup training session at Granja Comary, the CBF transported them by helicopter — a luxury few national teams can afford. Spirits around the squad are high and, despite his serious demeanor, Casemiro greeted teammates warmly, including Neymar, convinced that this challenge is the most important of his career.

With no media present, players will undergo physical and medical evaluations to confirm they are in peak condition. Casemiro missed time through injury in early May, his only setback since the start of 2024, but he is still expected to be part of Brazil’s starting lineup at the World Cup. Neymar, meanwhile, continues to deal with physical discomfort.

WHAT’S NEXT

Casemiro’s immediate focus will be on Brazil’s friendlies against Panama at the Maracanã on May 31 and Egypt in Cleveland, Ohio on June 6.

Drawn into Group C, Brazil and Casemiro will open their World Cup campaign on June 13 against Morocco in New Jersey. They will then face Haiti on June 19 in Philadelphia before taking on Scotland in Miami.

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