SOCCER: Casemiro says he still wants to win after Inter Miami move

Inter Miami's new Brazilian midfielder Casemiro said he still has the desire to compete and win trophies after joining the Major League Soccer (MLS) club as a free agent.

The 34-year-old, who won five UEFA Champions League titles with Real Madrid and later helped Manchester United secure the League Cup and FA Cup, signed a contract with Inter Miami through the 2027 MLS Sprint campaign, with an option to extend the deal until June 2029.

Casemiro, who represented Brazil at the 2026 World Cup, thanked Inter Miami's ownership group and said it was an honor to play alongside Lionel Messi.

"I want to thank the entire Mas family, David Beckham and everyone who made the effort to bring me here," Casemiro said, referring to managing owner Jorge Mas and co-owner Beckham. "And, of course, Leo Messi — the best in history.

"It is an honor for me to be here."

Despite leaving European football, Casemiro said his motivation to succeed remains unchanged.

"My intention to be the best and to win has not gone away," he said. "In football, we do not know if we will win or lose, but my dedication and work will remain the same."

The Brazilian midfielder added that joining Inter Miami had always been his preferred choice.

"My family and I knew that I wanted to play for Inter Miami," Casemiro told reporters. "We knew the city and the country — we love this place."

Casemiro also said he had quickly adjusted after making his debut in Inter Miami's 1-0 victory over Montreal on Saturday and thanked fans for their support.

Meanwhile, Inter Miami managing owner Jorge Mas said the club followed MLS discovery rules when signing Casemiro, as the league continues to investigate a tampering allegation connected to the transfer.

Under MLS rules, clubs must negotiate discovery rights with any team that previously listed a player before signing him outside the draft or free agency. The LA Galaxy previously held discovery rights to Casemiro before he moved to Inter Miami.

MLS said Inter Miami and the Galaxy reached a settlement regarding Casemiro's discovery priority rights, but the details will be released after the tampering investigation is completed.

The league has not provided a timeline for the investigation or specified possible penalties.

Mas said reports about the MLS Discovery List had not accurately reflected how the confidential system works. He explained that clubs and players do not know which individuals appear on another team's list.

"Our sporting department has no idea what players are on other clubs' lists," Mas said. "We don't know if the player is on the list, and they (players) don't know either."

Mas said Inter Miami contacted MLS after becoming interested in Casemiro and only learned afterward that the Galaxy held discovery priority rights.

"We did not have any negotiation or any conversation with his representatives until we were given the green light," he said.

He added that if a club holding discovery rights chooses to step aside, MLS has a $50,000 mechanism that allows another team to negotiate with the player. However, if the original club makes a legitimate offer, it may retain the player's rights.

"We did not talk to him (Casemiro) beforehand," Mas said. "We negotiated with LA Galaxy and reached an agreement."

Mas also said he had been seeking changes to the discovery rule for two years, arguing that the system does not benefit clubs or players.

-Reporting by Angelica Medina in Mexico City; Editing by Ken Ferris/Reuters