Casemiro bows to Messi and asks that he be given the Ballon d'Or: "He is still the best"'

Leo Messi and Casemiro were the architects of Inter Miami’s 2-0 victory over Cruz Azul in the Campeones Cup final. The Argentine and the Brazilian scored the goals that secured the win, both with headed finishes.

The former Real Madrid player spoke after the match and stayed in the same vein as David Beckham and Kily González: calling for the Ballon d'Or for the Argentine, because of his outstanding performance at the World Cup at 39 years of age. "He is still the best. He proved it at the World Cup and he keeps doing it in MLS. With him, everything is much easier," he said.

"We know that with him it's possible and he proved it at the World Cup. But it's not my place to talk. When you play with a teammate you always want him to win, but that's up to the people in the voting," he explained.

Casemiro's claim: "America is ignored"

Casemiro pointed out that Messi starts at a disadvantage compared with players who compete in Europe, a factor that could be decisive in the vote. "They give it to those who are in European football, what happens in America is ignored, but Messi can steal it," he warned.

"All I wish for him is the best of luck. But people should see what he did at the World Cup, which is very important. We have to enjoy him because we don't know how much longer we're going to have him. It's something incredible because of what he has done and continues to do for football," he said.