I used to be a Celtic FC fan. I don’t know when it started, but it included buying a bright yellow Nir Bitton away kit back when Israeli players could play for them without risking life and limb. It also included last year, dragging myself out of bed on Labor Day weekend, heading to a Celtic bar in Dorchester at 7 a.m., just to watch the Old Firm derby and cheer for the Hoops.
Unfortunately, that was the beginning of the end, because the anti-Israel atmosphere in Celtic Park and among some supporters has become impossible to ignore. Chants, flags, and endless political posturing have poisoned whatever connection I had with the club; The Green Brigade, in particular, has turned the terraces into political theater, waving Palestinian flags, mocking Israel, and jeering Israeli players. I can no longer root for a club where anti-Israel sentiment seems a litmus test for fandom.
That’s why Celtic’s elimination from the Champions League play-off this week felt like poetic justice. The stakes were high: a guaranteed €18.6 million for qualifying, plus €2.1 million for each win and €700,000 for each draw—a windfall dwarfing Europa League payouts. Celtic, a once-great club, usually navigates qualifying comfortably, and this year, all they needed was to beat Kairat Almaty, the Kazakh champions, over two legs.
After a listless and goalless draw in Glasgow, Celtic needed to go to Central Asia and come with a win; instead, they again looked bereft of ideas and failed to score. And when the tie went to penalties in Almaty, they crumbled, missing three of four spot kicks.
Then came a moment dripping with irony: Ofri Arad, an Israeli defender for Kairat, stepped up against Kasper Schmeichel and calmly buried his penalty. An Israeli had just struck the penultimate blow that ended Celtic’s Champions League hopes. In the locker room, Arad and his Israeli teammate Dan Glazer celebrated their group-stage qualification on Instagram, having the last laugh.
For years, Israeli players at Celtic Park were treated as symbols of disdain; this week, an Israeli quietly punished Celtic on the biggest stage and the symbolism was inescapable. The fallout was swift. TalkSPORT called the loss a “shambles.” Jamie O’Hara branded Celtic “a disgrace.” Jason Cundy said it was “an embarrassment.” Inside Celtic Park, supporters turned their fury on the board with “sack the board” chants. Even ex-captain Stiliyan Petrov criticized the club’s lack of ambition.
Yet all the tactical failures and managerial missteps can’t obscure the deeper symbolism. Celtic supporters, for years, have demonized Israel and Israelis. This week, Israel answered through Arad’s boot, past Schmeichel’s gloves, into Celtic’s net. In that moment, Celtic’s defeat felt larger than the pitch…a twist even the football gods might admire.
I still own that Nir Bitton jersey. Once it was a badge of pride, worn to the bar as I cheered for the Hoops. Now, it feels like a relic of a club that lost its way; I most likely won’t be wearing it ever again.
This post has been contributed by a third party. The opinions, facts and any media content are presented solely by the author, and JewishBoston assumes no responsibility for them. Want to add your voice to the conversation? Publish your own post here. MORE