Celtic hero Daizen Maeda has spoken out ahead of tonight’s crucial match against Brazil and it appears he is still haunted by a World Cup memory from Qatar 2022.
Maeda was in Japan’s squad for the Qatar tournament as they reached the last 16 to face Croatia for a place in the quarter-finals.
And it appears that how that match ended is driving the Celtic winger as he looks to bury the ghosts of that fateful night with a World Cup win against Brazil.
Daizen Maeda scores at a second consecutive World Cup 🔥
His Japan and Benjamin Nygren's Sweden both ensured progression in the 1-1 draw 👇
Maeda’s hidden World Cup pain as Celtic hero sends warning to Brazil
The Japanese winger was looking ahead to the Brazil game as Maeda addressed the painful penalty shoot-out defeat to Croatia at this stage of the tournament in 2022.
Maeda told JFATV, “Well, since the Qatar World Cup match finished, we’ve really built things up, both as a team and individually, so I think we’ve become a team that doesn’t lose easily.
“I’d have liked to have won that one outright, but anyway, we’ve moved on to the next round. Next up is Brazil, and I’m determined we’ll win that one. No, well, I think it’s a different matter, actually.
“On the other hand, precisely because Japan won the previous match against them, they’ll be desperate not to lose this time, and of course we’ll be fighting with the same determination not to lose, so I think it’ll be a good match.
“Yes. I definitely want to win.”
How Maeda’s World Cup agony drove Celtic success
While that defeat to Croatia would have been one of Maeda’s most painful footballing memories, the success he has had at Celtic since then has been phenomenal.
The Hoops hero returned from that World Cup to pick up a domestic treble and end the season with his name written into Celtic’s history books.
Since then he has also won a further three league titles, three Scottish Cups and two League Cups as well as being named Celtic’s and the PFA Player of the Year in 2025 and ended the season as the club’s top goalscorer.
While disappointment drove much of his success at Celtic, fans will be wishing Maeda the best of luck as he comes up against a formidable opponent that has Vinicius Junior in their ranks.
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