Tearful Casemiro and wife reflect on 'difficult decision' to leave Manchester United after four years

Casemiro ended his four-year spell at Manchester United this summer when his contract expired, and the emotional weight of that departure was plain to see in a farewell video released by the club, in which the Brazilian midfielder and his wife Anna both broke down in tears.

In the video, teammates Bruno Fernandes, Matheus Cunha, and Diogo Dalot offered tributes to the veteran before Casemiro and Anna spoke directly about what leaving meant to them.

“I need to say thank you because it was four unbelievable years,” Casemiro said. “I love this club, the fans, the people. Thank you so much. It’s very special and emotional for me. I finish in this moment, but it’s very emotional.”

Anna was equally candid about how hard the decision had been for the family. “As a family, we talked a lot and had to make this difficult decision,” she said. “But I think it feels like the end of a very beautiful chapter. For us, there’s an emptiness in leaving. The love we are receiving through that song means so much.”

The song she referred to was the ‘one more year’ chant that United supporters directed at Casemiro throughout his final season — a gesture that clearly resonated with both him and his family.

The 34-year-old departs having lifted the FA Cup and the Carabao Cup, and signed off with a 3-2 win over Nottingham Forest at Old Trafford in May. Across his time at the club he made 160 appearances in total.

Casemiro has since agreed to join Inter Miami on a free transfer once his World Cup campaign concludes. The move required LA Galaxy to release his MLS discovery rights, which David Beckham’s franchise has now acquired. A verbal agreement is understood to be in place between all parties, setting up a high-profile midfield partnership with Lionel Messi at the MLS club.