Celtic's final match of the 2016/17 season fell on the 50th anniversary of winning the European Cup in 1967 - the first British club to lift the trophy which is known as the UEFA Champions League. 60,000 supporters within the stadium honoured the legends known as the "Lisbon Lions" with a breath-taking display around paradise. Prior to the second goal, as has been customary this season, the support chanted ‘In the Heat of Lisbon’ in the 67th minute of the match, the chant which pays tribute to the famous victory over Inter Milan in Lisbon.
What made the occasion even more brilliant was that the team went on to win the match, securing an entire league season undefeated on the way to winning the Scottish Premiership title. It was the first time in Celtic’s 130-year history that they would achieve such a feat. On a personal note, the match was extra special to me as it was the first-time my girlfriend (now my fiance) would attend a football match of any sort.
Title winning post match celebrations. Celtic won the match 2-0, securing an undefeated league season.
When Victoria and I began dating, she never understood the concept of football. I will be the first to admit that the behaviour which accompanies football passion borders on the irrational, and in Victoria’s eyes I cannot always be counted on to display my feelings when it matters. Though, the appearance of a ball seems to bring out all of them at once and that is something which drives her crazy. Yet, there I am engulfed in it with a scarf around my neck. On top of this, as a young girl growing up in Moscow she carried a lot of misconceptions and stereotypes about the sport; hooliganism, violence and alcohol. But, this was Celtic and this stereotype couldn’t be farther from reality.
Amidst a fixture lacking excitement due to its sheer one-sidedness, the match occurred within an atmosphere that would seem out of place if it was anywhere else other than the east end of Glasgow. Chant followed chant, song followed song. It is supporting in all that that it means and Celtic's atmosphere is renowned worldwide by some of the greats, such as Lionel Messi. Like the famous Barcelona, Celtic is more than a football club. The two teams are a symbol of a culture and community that has not always been made welcome in their countries.
Celtic Football Club was founded in Glasgow by an Irish priest in November 1887, with the purpose of alleviating poverty in the East End of Glasgow through raising money for his charity, the Poor Children's Dinner Table. The name Celtic reflects the Irish and Scottish roots of Celtic, and by September 2013, Celtic had generated over £5 million to causes worldwide. To this day Celtic and its supporters continue to uphold the charitable principles and heritage of its founder, bringing about change and purpose to the Celtic Family and beyond.
Victoria's choice of hat is now a Celtic one
It was difficult for Victoria to watch the game as she kept looking around to take everything in. She just remembers the sea of green and white and the deafening intensity of noise that Celtic’s supporters produce. She liked it enough for us to attend a second match against Rosenborg in August. Welcome to the Celtic family.
This season we finished third in our Champions League group, enjoying the Europa League after Christmas. We have already won the League Cup, and are currently leading the Premier League by 9 points. This puts Celtic ten matches away from securing back to back domestic trebles. It would be the first team in history to do so.