According to a report by Manchesterevening News on Wednesday October 21, 2026, even though he forgot about Manchester United great Paul Scholes, Toni Kroos, a former Real Madrid midfielder, ranked Casemiro third all-time among football's greatest midfielders.

With 717 appearances, 155 goals, and 84 assists during his stellar tenure at Old Trafford, Scholes is still widely regarded as one of the most illustrious midfielders in Premier League history.

During Sir Alex Ferguson's successful reign, the Englishman won 11 Premier League titles and established himself as a central figure. But Kroos thinks another ex-United midfielder should get more credit for what he did.

With Kroos and Luka Modric as his midfield partners, Casemiro helped Real Madrid win a slew of trophies and establish themselves as the undisputed champions of European football.

The Brazilian won five Champions Leagues, three La Ligas, and one Copa del Rey during his time at Real Madrid. In 2022, he had a high-profile transfer to Manchester United.

Kroos expressed his respect for the defensive midfielder and gave reasons for his inclusion in football's all-time greats during an appearance on the Einfach mal Luppen podcast.

Despite PatrickPatrick Vieira's inclusion, the German World Cup winner named Casemiro his third choice.

Even though Casemiro had a significant impact on games and accomplished a lot, Kroos said that fans and non-club members sometimes failed to recognize his value to the team.

With no doubt. In Kroos's opinion, he is deserving of praise because of his many accomplishments, his character, and his impact on the team, all of which were underappreciated by outsiders.

During their time playing together in Spain, the former Real Madrid star also emphasized Casemiro's growing technical ability.

It was great to see his technical growth during that time, as well as the obvious value he brought to the team, Kroos said.

Manchester United saw 160 games from Casemiro, during which he scored 26 goals and set up 14 more. Prior to his free transfer to Inter Miami, he won the FA Cup and the League Cup.