Celtic’s run to the 2003 UEFA Cup final was one of the most iconic times of the club’s history.
Martin O’Neill led Celtic to their first-ever European final since the Lisbon Lions won the big cup in 1967.
And what a run it was. Celtic humbled the likes of Liverpool and Blackburn Rovers and those were particular highlights of the tournament, but so was beating the likes of VfB Stuttgart and Boavista on the way to the Seville final.
The Rangers team of old and new also made the final in 2008 and 2022 of the same competition and Kris Boyd was asked which of the three finalists had the best team out of the Ibrox clubs and Celtic’s.
And his answer will surprise many.
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Kris Boyd admits Celtic’s UEFA Cup team was superior to Rangers’ two European finalist squads
Celtic had the likes of Chris Sutton and Henrik Larsson with captain Paul Lambert leading the team into that final.
And when asked which team was better out of Celtic’s 2003 compared to the Rangers teams that reached the final of the same competition twice, Boyd was in no doubt.
Boyd said on The Warm Up, “This is a good one with you. Which was the best team? Celtic’s 2003 UEFA Cup Final team, Rangers’ UEFA Cup final team in 2008 or the Rangers team that made the Europa League final in 2022.
“It’s a no brainer for me. I think it is as well the Celtic one. I think when you go back to that Rangers team as well, I think that Celtic team was outstanding.
“They were at their best when it was Hartson and Larsson up front.
Celtic’s incredible 2003 UEFA Cup team vs Porto
The team Martin O’Neill built was probably the best Celtic side seen by this generation of fans. The Hoops had quality strewn all across the park.
The full squad is as follows:
- Rab Douglas (GK)
- Didier Agathe
- Joos Valgaeren
- John Mjallby
- Bobo Baldé
- Alan Thompson
- Paul Lambert (c)
- Neil Lennon
- Stiliyan Petrov
- Chris Sutton
- Henrik Larsson
On the Celtic bench was:
- Magnus Hedman (GK)
- Jackie McNamara
- Ulrik Laursen
- Shaun Maloney
- Momo Sylla
- David Fernández
- Jamie Smith
An incredible squad that almost created the impossible.
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