Eight Celtic players are preparing to write their names up in lights on the world stage.
From Canadian international Alistair Johnston to Japan’s superstar Daizen Maeda, the 2026 World Cup is now set to begin in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
There are a few Celtic players who, for one reason or another, won’t be participating on the world stage, including Viljami Sinisalo, Callum McGregor, Liam Scales and Colby Donovan.
The Celtic quartet shared their predictions ahead of the 2026 World Cup, including which of their teammates will go furthest, as Scales backed Celtic’s goal machine, Maeda.
Celtic fans, will you be tuning into the 2026 World Cup?
🚨 A lot of off-field noise around it 🚨
Which Celtic player will go furthest at this summer’s World Cup?
Maeda and his Japan side are in Group F, which has a Celtic theme to it, because it includes Benjamin Nygren’s Sweden and Sebastian Tounekti’s Tunisia.
One thing is for sure: at least one of them is expected to reach the knockout stages.
But when Sinisalo, Scales, Donovan and McGregor were asked which of their teammates would go further at this summer’s World Cup, they all agreed on Scotland, apart from the man from the Republic of Ireland.
Sinisalo: “The Scotland boys. I am secretly hoping they go the furthest. I think they have a right chance of going through the group. Hopefully, they can go on a bit of a run.”
Scales: “Daizen, I think, Japan.”
Donovan: “I would say Kieran and Ralston with Scotland.”
McGregor: “Kieran Tierney. Scotland. Come on!”
So, who will win the 2026 World Cup?
But how about the whole tournament itself?
Argentina are the current holders. Sinisalo played alongside World Cup-winning goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez at Aston Villa, and he hopes his former teammate wins Player of the Tournament.
Donovan cheekily dropped in Tierney’s name as the possible best player, while there were some shouts for Spain’s rising star, Lamine Yamal.
Either way, when it came to predicting who would win the World Cup outright, the current European holders, Spain, got most of the shouts, with Sinisalo being the outlier this time around.
Donovan: “I think Spain will win the World Cup.”
Scales: “I think Spain has a good chance. They have good players. Young players and they look good.”
McGregor: “I think Spain will win the World Cup. Purely because I think they are the best team, so I will be rooting for them.”
Sinisalo: “I want Portugal to win the World Cup. I want Ronaldo to cap off his career with a World Cup win, so I am going to go for Portugal.”
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