Kyogo Furuhashi established himself as one of the most clinical modern strikers in Celtic history and lived up to the weight of choosing the number eight shirt to wear on his back.
Furuhashi scored 85 goals in 165 appearances for the club, and was a huge part of the success under Ange Postecoglou and Brendan Rodgers.
Since leaving for Rennes, before joining Birmingham City, Kyogo and Celtic have struggled without each other, with no direct replacement matching his output in the seasons since. He did this while wearing the number eight, which he chose to wear because of one Hoops legend and a former teammate of his.
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Why Kyogo Furuhashi chose the number eight shirt at Celtic
Kyogo made a deliberate decision to take on one of the most iconic squad numbers in Celtic history, fully aware of the expectations attached to it. The number eight shirt had long been associated with Scott Brown, whose leadership and longevity defined an era of dominance at the club.
He knew that taking over the number of someone as respected and successful as the former Bhoys captain would be a tall order, but he was never going to shy away from it.
“I know it’s a massive number for Celtic fans and was worn for so long by Scott Brown, who is one of the club’s true heroes. I am well aware of what he gave to the club,” Kyogo told media in 2022.
“He is a real legend of Celtic and knowing that Scott has worn this jersey for so long with such success will be extra motivation for me to do my very best to honour and pay tribute to him as best I can.”
Brown wasn’t the only inspiration behind the shirt number choice. During his time at Vissel Kobe, the forward played alongside Andres Iniesta, one of the greatest players to come through the La Masia ranks at Barcelona.
“It is also the number worn by my former team-mate, Andres Iniesta, someone I am very close to and who I am privileged to call a friend,” explained the striker.
“To wear the number of these two great players means a lot and it is a phenomenal honour for me. I will work hard to do it justice.”
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Famous Celtic stars to wear the number eight shirt
The number eight shirt at Celtic carries a history built on leadership and major contributions across different eras of the club.
Brown remains the defining figure in modern history, captaining the side for over a decade and making more than 600 appearances while winning 10 league titles during his time at Parkhead.
Before Brown, players such as Paul Hartley and Alan Thompson delivered decisive moments while wearing the number eight, while the current holder of the shirt, Benjamin Nygren, has performed excellently in his debut season with the Hoops.
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