Former Celtic striker Oh Hyeon-gyu made an instant impression on his World Cup debut.
South Korea opened their tournament in Mexico with a 2-1 victory after recovering from a goal down just after the hour mark.
With his side trailing, national team boss Hong Myung-bo turned to Oh from the bench in the 70th minute, replacing captain Son Heung-min.
The change paid off almost immediately.
South Korea levelled the match before Oh struck what proved to be the decisive goal, finishing from a cross supplied by Feyenoord midfielder Hwang In-beom.
It was a memorable moment for the former Celtic forward, who continues to go from strength to strength since leaving Glasgow.
Hoops winger Yang Hyun-jun is a part of the South Korean World Cup squad, though he didn’t make it off the bench in their opening win.
Oh arrived at Celtic in January 2023 and showed flashes of promise during his time at the club. However, with Kyogo Furuhashi firmly established as first-choice striker, opportunities were often limited.
The South Korean international largely found himself playing a supporting role and never quite managed to build the momentum that comes from a consistent run in the team.
Since then, Oh’s career has accelerated.
After impressing in Belgium, he secured a move to Turkish giants Besiktas in February 2026 for a fee reported to be around €14 million.
His numbers since leaving Celtic underline just how well things have gone. Across his time with Genk and Besiktas, the 25-year-old has recorded 18 goals and seven assists in 48 appearances.
Celtic also benefited financially from his move to Turkey, receiving a sell-on payment as part of the deal.
Oh’s story is another reminder that a player’s path is not always straightforward. Sometimes, circumstances, competition for places and timing matter as much as ability.
Few Celtic supporters questioned his commitment during his spell at Parkhead. His work rate and attitude were never in doubt.
The reality was that breaking into a side with Kyogo leading the line was always going to be a difficult task.
Now, with a World Cup winner’s medal still a long way off but his tournament off to the perfect start, Oh has added another chapter to an impressive rise since leaving Celtic behind.
Oh, Osmond, Nawrocki, Lagerbjelke…….Just 4 players that Rodgers didn’t rate that went on to have better careers away from Celtic!!!! There are likely a few more.
Well done Rodgers.