Casemiro‘s long-awaited arrival in the Premier League finally came to fruition as he completed his move to United for a staggering £70 million.
With an impressive record of 5 Champions League trophies to his name, Casemiro’s reputation as one of the most iconic defensive midfielders of our time precedes him.
However, his journey toward success was not a solitary one, and he credits his mother as one of the most instrumental figures in shaping him into the exceptional athlete he is today.
Casemiro was born in São José dos Campos, São Paulo, Brazil. His biological father’s name was Servando Casimero and his mother was Venancio Magda de Faria Casemiro.
Casemiro’s full name is Carlos Henrique José Francisco Venâncio Casimiro. Casemiro has one brother named Lucas Casemiro and a little step-sister named Bianca Casemiro.
At the tender age of five, his father left the house in anger which left his mom to manage the whole home by herself. Being the eldest sibling in the house, Casemiro had to help his mom in managing the home while they lived in poverty.
Casemiro in an interview noted the tough life back when he was in Sao Paulo while holding a yogurt bottle:
As a child, I always wanted to drink these, but we never had the money, it didn’t cost much, around 20 cents, but my mom would always call me back because no one had the money to buy some.
While living under these kinds of conditions Casemiro never showed any grudge against his father who left them but does not actively try to meet his father. In an interview with Globoesporte, Casemiro stated:
If I see him on the street today, I won’t recognize him, he had a serious fight with my mother when I was five and left the family for my mother to manage. I’ve wanted to meet him because I have no grudge against him.
It was what God wanted for me. That’s why I have always left it just the way it is. My mother was always with me. She always supported me, and thanks to God, I can help my family. I’m happy I had her by my side when I needed her the most.
Casemiro always considered his mother to be the hero of his life. In a touching display of gratitude, Casemiro expressed love for his mother, who had endured significant hardship, and acknowledged her as the most important person in his life. In an interview Casemiro said:
With the first money I earned I bought my mother a house, I remember it well. She thought I only played football to enjoy myself but I had it very clear that I wanted to help her.
“My mother was always with me, she always supported me, and thanks to God I can help my family. I’m happy I had her by my side when I needed it most.”
Casemiro also revealed that his mother had to work as a maid in multiple households to provide for their family, a testament to her unwavering dedication and work ethic. This challenging upbringing has undoubtedly shaped Casemiro into the player he is today.
Despite his mother’s sacrifices, she remained humble and encouraged him to pursue football for the love of the game. As Casemiro explained in his interview with Marca:
My family had no fixed home to live in. We stayed at my aunt’s house. We only had one room and a bathroom. I never had toys like other children. My mother always told me: ‘I’ll buy it for you next time’, but the next time never came. Thankfully today I can buy her gifts”
It’s worth noting that Casemiro and his entire family didn’t have their own home. As a result, they had to live with his aunt who could only provide a single room and bathroom for a family of four.
Casemiro’s childhood lacked toys and gifts, but he was always aware of the sacrifices his mother made to provide for their family.
Even though Casemiro never had his father around to support him in the endeavors he took, Casemiro found a father figure in Nilton de Jesus Moreira, who managed Paulista De Futebol academy.
Moreira was the first person to recognize the talent in young Casemiro. He was the person that introduced Casemiro to Sao Paulo.
While going through the hardships off the field and moving through the ranks on the field, Casemiro managed to impress Real Madrid scouts who were looking for a young defensive midfielder for years.
Casemiro was then loaned to FC Porto for a year, where he impressed. When Casemiro came back from Porto, he was a starter for the Los Blancos and slowly became part of one of the best midfield trios of the generation.
Casemiro now has his own family with his wife Anna Mariana Ortega Brahm, who is a leading figure in the makeup industry. They tied the knot in 2014 and now have two children together named Sara and Caio.
While Casemiro, still in his prime, is considered to be the defensive midfielder in the world, this would not have happened if Casemiro had not learned how hard his mother worked for him to live his dream.
The hardships made Casemiro a hard worker and the family problems gave way to becoming a leader in the locker room.
