The World Cup can be an eye-opening time for a football fan, but for those who follow Manchester United, it has only reiterated what they already knew.
For so long it looked like Cristiano Ronaldo would be the headline-grabber on a day when he became the first male player to score at five different World Cups, though instead of lamenting what they had lost, United fans were soon reminded of why their future is looking so bright.
The reason few fans will lose sleep over Ronaldo's exit is he is not a key part of the team going forward and has largely been a passenger this season. It is his self-indulgence and selfishness that made him the best player in the world, and it is also what led to his downfall both on and off the pitch under Erik ten Hag.
Read next: Ronaldo hasn't given United a reason to regret exit
In his place, there is a reiteration of teamwork and camaraderie - the ethos that United are much stronger as a collective than the team's star-studded individuals.
There is perhaps no greater example of this than Casemiro. It is no secret he wasn't the top midfield target in the summer window, and if Ten Hag had gotten his way, it would have been Frenkie de Jong taking his place in the United side.
It looks like it could be one of the great sliding door moments in United's recent history, such is the astronomical impact the Brazilian battler has had on the side already this season.
Casemiro was always done somewhat of a disservice when tagged as 'the other guy' in a midfield alongside Luka Modric and Toni Kroos. The recent form of Federico Valverde, as well as the emergence of Eduardo Camavinga and Aurelien Tchouameni, meant he was taken for granted and viewed as expendable in the face of other high-quality options.
That certainly isn't the case at United. Though it took him a little while to adapt to life in the Premier League, he is now up and running, and on his recent form, he is right among the discussions for the best defensive midfielder in the division, if not the world.
His performance for Brazil in their opening win over Serbia was nothing short of breathtaking. Even before looking at the statistics, it is clear how important Casemiro was to everything his team did during the game, not only providing solidity at the base of midfield but also breaking stereotypes with more of the elite-level passing he has shown in recent months.
The 30-year-old ended the match with the most forced turnovers out of anyone on the pitch, winning possession back 16 times in the match - six more than anyone else.
Then there was his passing. We all know how good he is at this, but on Thursday night he took it to a whole new level with the variety of passes he was picking as he looked to fully embrace the freedom he has been given this season.
Casemiro finished the game with an 86% passing accuracy, 11 final third passes, three successful long balls, winning all of his attempted tackles and ground duels, two clearances, and one key pass.
There is an element of 'small island syndrome' in that Casemiro has perhaps been unfairly pigeonholed as a no-nonsense defensive midfielder because a Premier League audience never really watched him closely on a regular basis.
However, it is also true that his role at Real Madrid was so rigid that his talents were never fully utilised, especially when other elite specialists were present.
This summer, he was given the opportunity to reinvent himself, and one of the main reasons he wanted to test himself in the Premier League was not only the challenge, but also the opportunity to become the star attraction after years as the support act.
It was the case again against Serbia. He so nearly outshone Richarlison with a fierce effort that cannoned off the woodwork, but at the core of his performance was another reliable output as he acted as the metronome for his national side.
In a Brazil team brimming with attacking talent, he remains the steadying influence in midfield, the man Tite entrusts to carry out his methodical plan on the field.
It is right to ask questions about why United spent £60million, rising to £70m, on an experienced player with a limited shelf life, but based on his impact so far, many would argue that he is already priceless.
United might have found their most important player, and Brazil's World Cup hopes rely on him too.
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