Daizen Maeda has been in excellent goalscoring form for Celtic this season.
The Japanese winger has flourished ever since Kyogo Furuhashi left Celtic for Rennes as Maeda takes up the mantle as the new talisman at Parkhead.
Maeda has scored 28 goals as he enjoys his best-ever season at Celtic and with a minimum of nine games left, the Japan star will have plenty opportunity to add to his tally.
So what’s the secret of his success? Maeda tried to explain it to the Japanese media but his reasoning was very cryptic.
Daizen Maeda won’t tell the Japanese media his Celtic secret
Speaking ahead of Japan’s game against Bahrain, Maeda was asked by the Japanese media if he could explain his red-hot streak at Celtic.
Maeda told Gekisaka, “I don’t really know myself. When I was scoring at Marinos, I was always scoring, and I think that’s what I’m doing now at Celtic.
“There is one reason, but I can’t tell you what it is yet. I’ll probably be able to tell you in a month or two.”
With 22 caps for Japan, Maeda will be keed to add to the four international goals he currently has. After scoring in the World Cup last 16, the Celtic striker last found the back of the net for his national side in September 2024 in the 7-0 win over China.
Daizen Maeda’s best five Celtic goals this season ranked
With 28 goals to choose from, here are 67 Hail Hail’s best and most important goals Maeda has scored for Celtic this season.
- Celtic 1 v 1 Club Brugge. Maeda’s strike earned the Bhoys a crucial Champions League point
- Celtic 3 v 0 Rangers. Maeda on target again as Celtic win the first Glasgow Derby of the season.
- Celtic 1 v 2 Bayern Munich. The Japanese winger kept the Champions League knockout tie alive with a late Parkhead goal.
- Motherwell 1 v 3 Celtic: A goal and two assists as Maeda put in one of his best performances of the season.
Celtic 3 v 3 Rangers. Maeda’s goal put Celtic ahead and helped win the League Cup at Hampden. He also scored the winning penalty in the shootout.
No doubt the Celtic forward will add more goals this season as Maeda will be keen to surpass that 30 mark before the campaign ends.
