Balon d’Or campaign underway for Celtic’s internationalist
Soccer Football - Scottish League Cup - Final - Rangers v Celtic - Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland, Britain - February 26, 2023 Celtic's Alistair Johnston celebrates after winning the Scottish League Cup REUTERS/Russell Cheyne
It seems that it is not just Celtic fans that are drooling over Alistair Johnston.
The defender was in action last night as Canada beat Honduras 4-1 to secure a semi-final place in the Nations League in June with some supporters very impressed by his performances at international level.
In just over two months Johnston has made a huge impact on Celtic with that feeling replicated last night with a couple of Canadian fans hoping that the defender can follow Karim Benzema, Leo Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as a Balon d’Or winner.
The Alistair Johnston 2023 Ballon D’Or campaign has officially started#CanMNT?#CelticFC? pic.twitter.com/WVNUhepHGv
— Alexandre Gangué-Ruzic (@AlexGangueRuzic) March 28, 2023
Alexandre Gangue-Ruzic is the editor of Canadian website One Soccer.
Johnston will be flying across the Atlantic today ready to resume his Celtic career after a post World Cup catch up with his international team-mates.
Losing Josip Juranovic in January looked like causing disruption to Celtic but it seems that Ange Postecoglou had the situation well covered with a delve into the North American transfer market identifying the ideal replacement.
The one criticism that could be aimed at Juranovic would be a lack of physicality, his successor at right-back won’t be found wanting in that area and seems ready made for the often agricultural challenges of the Scottish game.