Celtic star Daizen Maeda shines on international duty, helping Japan defeat North Korea.

Celtic will be able to take some time off from club duty over the next few weeks due to the international break.

Following their victory over St Johnstone last weekend, the Bhoys are now top of the table and will have renewed confidence in their pursuit of the Scottish Premiership title.

Brendan Rodgers has also received a significant injury boost after Reo Hatate played 45 minutes of a bounce match against St Mirren at Lennoxtown yesterday.

If his recovery goes as planned, the Japan international is expected to play some role in our away trip to Livingston next Sunday.

Of course, his long-term injury problems prevented him from playing in Japan’s most recent round of World Cup qualifying matches.

His compatriot, Daizen Maeda, made the trip for the Samurai Blue’s double-header against North Korea, and reaped the benefits of his strong Celtic form.

Here’s a quick look at Maeda’s performance at the Japan National Stadium earlier today.

Celtic winger Daizen Maeda stars for Japan in a win over North Korea.

Earlier today, Japan made it three out of three in the World Cup 2026 Asian qualifiers, narrowly defeating North Korea thanks to an early goal from Fortuna Düsseldorf midfielder Ao Tanaka.

Maeda played the entire 90 minutes for his national team, earning a Fotmob match rating of 7.6/10 for his tireless efforts.

The 26-year-old created one scoring opportunity, had one shot on goal, and had four touches in the opposing box; however, his defensive play stood out the most, which will come as no surprise to Celtic fans.

According to the statistical outlet, Maeda won ten of his 14 contested ground duels (71%), along with six successful challenges and three ball recoveries, all without committing a single foul.

Few players match Maeda’s desire to work tirelessly for his national team, making him a reliable presence for both club and country when called upon.

Japan now leads the World Cup Second Round Group B table with nine points from three matches [TNT Sports].

Hajime Moriyasu’s team will face North Korea in their rematch next Tuesday in Pyongyang. Kickoff will be at 8 a.m. sharp.

In other news, Celtic’s forgotten striker: Where Should he go?