The ultimate Celtic World Cup XI
The World Cup action finally gets underway tomorrow in Russia with four Celtic players hoping that they have a part to play.
Tom Rogic, Mikael Lustig and Cristian Gamboa looked nailed on starters for their nation while Dedryck Boyata has played his way into the start studded Belgian side with Vincent Kompany out injured.
Over the next month the eyes of the football world will be on Russia while on the home front Brendan Rodgers prepares his squad for the serious business of the Champions League.
The World Cup hasn’t produced many highlights for Celtic players with most being involved in Scotland’s never ending hard luck stories.
Pat Bonner and Henrik Larsson have known success on international duty with some of the biggest names in Celtic’s post Lisbon history enjoying the global attention of the World Cup.
Unfortunately a number of Celts have suffered the frustration of making it to the World Cup Finals but suffered the frustration of being left on the sidelines. That group consists of Davie Provan, Jimmy Johnstone, Simon Donnelly, Jonathan Gould, Fraser Forster.
Among the Celts to have played at the World Cup are Emilio Izaguirre, Chris Morris, Tosh McKinlay, Georgios Samaras, Edson Braafheid, Jackie McNamara, Morten Wieghort, Marc Reiper and Darren Jackson but the Celtic World Cup XI is a very select side.
Apologies to the Celts that played in the 1954 and 1958 World Cup Finals.
PAT BONNER
Bonner had already excelled at Euro 88 but took that a step further after Ireland got out of a group that included England, Holland and Egypt to face Romania for a place in the last eight.
After 120 goal-less minutes in Genoa the match went to penalties with Bonner pulling off a save before David O’Leary netted to send Jack Charlton’s side through to face Italy for a semi final place.
DANNY MCGRAIN
The Celtic defender was absolutely at the peak of his powers from 1974 to 1977 but had to switch over to left-back to accommodate Sandy Jardine.
In Germany Scotland were making their first appearance at the finals in 16 years and matched Yugoslavia and Brazil all the way.
Willie Ormand’s team became the first side to be knocked out unbeaten, it was a case of what might have been with McGrain as big a star on the world stage as anyone.
ROY AITKEN
Jock Stein’s tragic death put a reluctant Alex Ferguson in temporary charge while his assistant Walter Smith teamed up with Graeme Souness to tap up Richard Gough and others.
Aitken played in all three matches, somehow against the 10 men of Uruguay for 88 minutes Scotland failed to score to finish bottom of the group and make an early exit.
JOHAN MJALLBY
The Swedes came through a Group of Death involving England, Argentina and Nigeria but came unstuck against Senegal in the last 16.
Mjallby was perfectly a home at this level and went on to have an outstanding season with Celtic, playing a key role in the run to the final of the UEFA Cup.
TOM BOYD
Had an unfortunate World Cup debut against Brazil when he was involved in an own goal that he could do nothing about.
He was a favourite of Craig Brown, generally playing on the right of a back three.
Boyd started in all three matches in France as Scotland made an early departure, 20 years on the Tartan Army have still to return to the big stage.
PAUL MCSTAY
Must have racked up close to 200 caps at all levels, during one season he was turning out regularly for Scotland at u-16, u-17 and u-18 levels.
With Celtic struggling to make an impact in Europe playing for Scotland gave McStay a platform with the midfielder playing at the World Cup in 1986 and 1990 as well as European Championships in 1992 and 1996.
PAUL LAMBERT
Arrived at the World Cup in France with a glowing reputation gained on the back of his Champions League win with Borussia Dortmund and helping Celtic to stop the ten.
His possession based game was ideally suited for playing against continental sides but again Scotland failed to progress out of their group.
Lambert showed up well but it was another another couple of seasons before he got the chance to play regularly against the best of the continentals when Martin O’Neill took charge of Celtic.
DAVIE HAY
Against World Cup holders Brazil Scotland probably gave their best ever World Cup Finals display but it was a 2-0 win over Zaire that led to their downfall- as Scotland drew with Brazil Yugoslavia put nine past the African side.
Hay left Celtic for Chelsea soon after appearing in Germany, sadly an eye injury picked up on holiday meant that his career never developed as expected.
CRAIG BURLEY
Burley went to France on the back of an outstanding season at Celtic where he had matched up with Paul Lambert. After Gary McAllister’s injury Burley moved from right wing-back into a more central role.
1998 was to prove a career high point as a combination of injuries, rows with the management at Celtic and an ill fated transfer to Derby County saw his career grind to a halt without pushing on from 1998.
KENNY DALGLISH
Played in three World Cup Finals, generally in attack with Joe Jordan although the 1974 campaign was probably his best.
Willie Ormand’s side had a bit of everything with Dalglish as bright a star as any in the squad.
He went on to become the first Scot to win 100 international caps but after 1978 he rarely played alongside the same quality that he could call upon with Liverpool although there were a few spectacular and memorable goals along the way.
HENRIK LARSSON
He looked frustrated at times in his partnership with the young Zlatan Ibrahimovic as the Swedes emerged from a Group of Death.
In the last 16 he netted against Senegal but his Celtic replacement, Henri Camara bounced back wit two goals to send Larsson back to Scotland to prepare for an incredible season that would peak in Seville.