Casemiro names his favourite coaches – and nobody from Manchester United makes the cut

Manchester United midfielder Casemiro believes Carlo Ancelotti, Zinedine Zidane, Jose Mourinho, Tite and Julian Lopetegui are the best coaches he’s worked with throughout his career.

Erik ten Hag brought Casemiro to Manchester in the summer of 2022 and he enjoyed an excellent debut season, playing a crucial role as United finished third in the Premier League.

Casemiro scored in that campaign’s Carabao Cup final and became a fan favourite. However, Casemiro’s form regressed in the subsequent two years and he has become a peripheral squad member under Ruben Amorim, which means this season is likely to be his last at United.

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The 32-year-old has entered the winter of his career and he struggled to match the intensity of Tottenham’s midfielders when he was given a rare league start on Sunday afternoon.

Casemiro has dropped from the level he consistently showed during his time with Real Madrid, although he may feel the coaching he has received at United has also been disappointing.

That’s because Spanish outlet AS recently sat down with Casemiro and he named the five most influential coaches of his career – but there was no mention of Ten Hag or Amorim.

“Nobody wins so many titles just by being nice, although he is. I have a huge affection for Ancelotti,” explained Casemiro. “For me he is in the top three of the coaches I have had, along with Zidane, of course, and Tite, who was the coach of Brazil.

“I have had others who have left their mark on me, like Mourinho or Lopetegui. But Ancelotti is an old-school coach who didn’t stay stuck in the old school. Carlo modernised like football.

“Tactics, physical preparation… Ancelotti didn’t stay stuck in the old school. He has the intelligence and calmness of an old coach, but with the intelligence of the new ones. An ideal mix.

“An incredible coach because of him and his staff . With his son, with Francesco… Very capable people. Carlo is different from others and has known how to mark an era.

“In football there are several ways to win. Guardiola’s tiki-taka, the intensity and living the passion of football like Klopp, the defensive power of Simeone, for whom I have a lot of respect… I arrived in 2013 and at that time the derbies were easy for Madrid. Simeone has made history at Atleti.”

Casemiro briefly touched on his departure from Real Madrid and he suggested his first season in Manchester might have been the best he performed in his career. “It was the perfect time. I had won everything with Madrid and I had to take on other challenges,” added Casemiro.

“Looking at my career, individually, my best season as a professional footballer was the first with United. I’m not saying collectively in terms of titles. Madrid’s Champions League is the ultimate, but as a player I think Old Trafford saw the best version of Casemiro in my first year.”

Casemiro’s contract with United expires in June 2026, and the club have the option of another year.