When debates over the greatest football manager of all time come up, Manchester United supporters rarely look beyond Sir Alex Ferguson. But there’s one person inside the club who might be hoping that changes.
Ferguson’s list of accomplishments speaks for itself, and it’s hard to imagine many managers ever reaching his level. Those who do still won’t have matched the length of time he spent at the top.
Some managers may hit similar heights in terms of success and longevity, but very few have done so at a single club for as long as Ferguson did. That combination is nearly impossible to match in today’s game.
Still, former Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg believes that if one current manager leads his country to World Cup glory, he’ll surpass Ferguson in the greatest of all-time conversation — and there’s a United player involved in that story.
How Casemiro could impact the legacy of Sir Alex Ferguson
Casemiro has turned things around at Manchester United this season, becoming a key figure under Ruben Amorim and making a strong case for his role with Brazil as well.
His recent club form speaks for itself, but there’s another reason he’s become so important to Brazil. The appointment of Carlo Ancelotti as national team manager has worked in his favour.
Ancelotti and Casemiro go back to their time together at Real Madrid, where they developed a good relationship. That connection is clear now, with Casemiro recently being given the captain’s armband.
If Brazil manage to win the World Cup under his leadership, Mark Clattenburg believes that Carlo Ancelotti could be recognised as the greatest manager in football history.
“I think this season is going to define a lot of things. For me, he is one of the greatest managers of all time,” Clattenburg said on GRV Media’s Beyond the Back Four podcast. “If he were to win the World Cup in Brazil, with Brazil, it would be incredible.
“Carlo Ancelotti, for me, will be the greatest manager ever because of what he’s achieved. To succeed at the international level and win the World Cup would be ultimate achievement.”
Casemiro has a chance to complete his remarkable comeback
Even though United fans are unlikely to back Clattenburg’s claim that a World Cup would put Ancelotti ahead of Sir Alex, there is some common ground when it comes to Casemiro.
A year ago, Casemiro was behind Toby Collyer in the Manchester United midfield hierarchy – something Ruben Amorim often points out. But now, he’s become an automatic pick for both club and country, climbing back up the ranks at a time when most thought his best days were behind him.
Whatever a World Cup win might mean for Ancelotti’s place in football history, for Casemiro, it would be the perfect finishing touch on what has already been an incredible turnaround.
And while questions remain about his future at Old Trafford due to his wage demands, success on the international stage would only add to his appeal across Europe.
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