Daizen Maeda returns to Celtic after impressing for Japan again.
The Celtic winger earned his 22nd cap for his national side after helping Japan qualify for the 2026 World Cup after playing 73 minutes of a 0-0 draw with Saudi Arabia this week.
Despite drawing a blank, Maeda had the best chance of the game after hitting the post to open the scoring in the 9th minute of the disappointing home draw.
However, Maeda still impressed Japan boss Hajime Moriyasu, and now on his way back to Scotland the winger sent a warning to Celtic’s opponents as he looks to close in on his second treble of his Hoops career.
Daizen Maeda’s Celtic scoring vow ahead of Hearts fixture
Maeda told Hochi News, “If we had converted our chances in the first half, I think we could have won by a much larger margin. But the other team defended well and stayed back, so it was a difficult match.”
“I haven’t seen the video, so I don’t really know.
“The ball went wide, so I thought it would be near the goal rather than the far goal, so I kicked it. I don’t think that was a bad choice, but I want to improve my ability to score there when I get back to my team.
“I want to continue to play well as a team, score goals and help us win the championship.
With 28 goals already to his name, Maeda has been in frightening goal-scoring form this season for Celtic, and the fact that he is hungry for more should worry the rest of the SPFL.
Daizen Maeda’s best three Celtic goals vs Rangers
Maeda loves scoring against Rangers as the Celtic winger continually terrorises their captain, James Tavernier.
In 19 Glasgow Derbies the Japanese winger has scored five and created four as Celtic’s dominance in the fixture over recent years reins supreme.
So with that in mind, here are the three best goals Daizen Maeda has scored for Celtic vs Rangers:
April 2023: Rangers 2 v 2 Celtic: Maeda scores after just 21 seconds after pouncing on another Tavernier mistake.
December 2024: Rangers 3 v 3 Celtic: The winger puts Celtic 2-1 ahead in the League Cup final and scores the winning penalty in the shoot out.
September 2025: Celtic 3 v 0 Rangers: Maeda opens the scoring in the Parkhead thrashing of Rangers.
Celtic fans will be hoping that the winger will break the 30-goal barrier this season and that that will start this weekend against Hearts at Celtic Park.
