10 total: Every Celtic link at the 2022 World Cup past and present

By John McGinley

November 15, 2022

Celtic formally have four current representatives heading to the World Cup this month but there are more from the club’s past who will be featuring in some capacity in Qatar.

First up, you’ll know by now that Cameron Carter-Vickers, Josip Juranovic, Aaron Mooy and Daizen Maeda are all off to feature for their respective countries, all of whom are likely to get game time in the group stages.

Joining Carter-Vickers in the USA squad is former loan star Timo Weah, who currently plays for Ligue 1 outfit Lille. Now 22, Weah has made 81 appearances for the French club since leaving the Bhoys at the end of the 2018/19 season.

Mooy is also joining up with a former Celtic player in Jackson Irvine, who reminded everyone of his Bhoys credentials by arriving in Australia sporting a classic Viduka-adorned hoops top yesterday.

Irvine only made one competitive appearance for Celtic, all the way back in 2012 but has gone on to star for Ross County, Hibernian, Hull City and most recently St Pauli.

The Netherlands boast a top-quality former Celtic duo in defence with both Virgil van Dijk and Jeremie Frimpong making Louis van Gaal’s squad. Van Dijk is now a global superstar, of course, and will lead his country as captain.

Frimpong is still establishing himself at that level and has yet to earn caps but this could be a breakout tournament for the impressive right-back, who is lighting up Bundesliga this term.

Olivier Ntcham is also heading to the World Cup after a late surge into the Cameroon squad in September, when he earned two caps for the country.

The former Celtic talent is impressing for Swansea this season, helping their push for promotion play-offs and he’ll be hoping this can be a new landmark moment in his career.

That’s nine players past and present representing their country on the pitch in Qatar and if you’re wondering who the tenth Celtic link is then look no further than Morten Wieghorst, who is part of the coaching set-up with Denmark.

He’s been part of the Matt O’Riley experiment with the Danes and while the current Bhoys midfielder didn’t quite make the senior squad, he’ll be hoping for more progress on that front in the new year.

Good luck to everyone!

In other news, Barry Ferguson’s comical Gio U-turn after claiming to have Ange Postecoglou and Celtic sussed out.