Is there a more popular player at Celtic right now than Daizen Maeda?
The 27-year-old is having the time of his life under Brendan Rodgers and just continues to go from strength to strength.
That was proven as Maeda scored the winning penalty during Celtic’s League Cup final win over Rangers on Sunday at Hampden.
He played a crucial role in the nerve-racking victory, including scoring the goal that put Celtic ahead in the second half of normal time.
One of the reasons why Maeda is so liked is because his engine just doesn’t stop when he is out on the pitch.
That makes him a nightmare to play against, but also, one of the most liked players at the club and a clear favourite of the manager.
Daizen Maeda was still running after Celtic beat Rangers in the League Cup final
Maeda looked cool as anything when he stepped up to take the spot kick and then he proceeded to run straight towards Kasper Schmeichel to celebrate.
But Mark Wilson noticed what he was doing just before Celtic’s trophy celebrations and it left him amazed, as he told Open Goal.
Wilson stated Maeda went into the stands, grabbed his kids and started ‘running on the pitch’, even though he had just been through extra time and penalties.
“I love him,” said Wilson. “He looks like he couldn’t give a sh__ about anything.
“All his teammates are celebrating, he went right into the stands, got his two kids, carried them down and started running. He started running on the pitch. I swear to God. Extra time and penalties, and he is still running on the pitch.”
Pitchside view of Maeda’s winning penalty against Rangers
Celtic fans will relive the win over Rangers again and again, mainly because of how it all unfolded.
Not only that, it was trophy number 119 for Celtic and no team in Scotland has ever won more – and you can soon add the Premiership title to it.
Premier Sports captured pitchside footage of that historic moment as you can hear the roar from the Celtic fans.
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