Casemiro has insisted his desire to win remains as strong as ever after completing his move to Inter Miami as a free agent.

The experienced Brazilian midfielder was officially unveiled on Thursday after signing a contract that runs through the 2027 MLS season, with the club holding an option to extend the deal until June 2029.

Now 34, Casemiro arrives in the United States following a glittering career that saw him win five UEFA Champions League titles with Real Madrid before adding both the Carabao Cup and FA Cup to his trophy collection during his time at Manchester United. The midfielder also represented Brazil at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Speaking at his presentation, Casemiro thanked Jorge Mas, David Beckham, and the club’s ownership for making the transfer possible, while expressing his excitement at sharing the pitch with Lionel Messi.

“I want to thank the entire Mas family, David Beckham and everyone who worked hard to bring me here,” Casemiro said. “And, of course, Leo Messi – the best in history. It is an honour for me to be here.”

Despite leaving European football, Casemiro stressed that his ambition has not changed and that he remains fully committed to competing for trophies.

“My intention to be the best and to win has not gone away. In football, you never know whether you will win or lose, but my dedication and work will remain exactly the same.”

The Brazilian also revealed that Inter Miami was always his preferred destination.

“My family and I knew that I wanted to play for Inter Miami. We know the city, we know the country, and we love this place.”

Casemiro added that he has already settled into life in South Florida after making his debut in Inter Miami’s 1-0 victory over CF Montreal, thanking supporters for the warm welcome he has received since arriving.

Discovery rights investigation

During the unveiling, Jorge Mas also addressed the ongoing MLS investigation into allegations of tampering surrounding Casemiro’s transfer.

Under MLS Discovery Rights regulations, clubs must negotiate with any team holding a player’s discovery rights before completing the signing of a player from outside the league’s draft or free agency system. In Casemiro’s case, the LA Galaxy previously held his discovery rights before he ultimately joined Inter Miami.

MLS has confirmed that Inter Miami and LA Galaxy reached a settlement regarding those rights, although the league said the details will remain confidential until the investigation has concluded. No timeline has been provided for the outcome, and MLS has not indicated what sanctions, if any, could be imposed.

Mas defended the club’s actions, arguing that the league’s Discovery List system is widely misunderstood because its contents are confidential.

“Our sporting department has no idea what players are on other clubs’ lists. We don’t know if a player is on another club’s list, and the players don’t know either.”

He explained that Inter Miami only contacted MLS after identifying Casemiro as a target and learned at that stage that LA Galaxy held his discovery priority.

“We did not have any negotiation or conversation with his representatives until we were given the green light.”

Mas added that Inter Miami then negotiated directly with LA Galaxy before opening talks with the player.

“We did not speak with Casemiro beforehand. We negotiated with LA Galaxy and reached an agreement.”

The Inter Miami co-owner also reiterated his long-standing opposition to the league’s Discovery Rights system, saying he has pushed for changes over the past two years because he believes the rule benefits neither clubs nor players.