What a season it’s been for Daizen Maeda. The Japanese forward has lit up Celtic Park with his incredible energy, goals, and big-game moments—and now he has the awards to show for it.
At the club’s Player of the Year awards, Maeda claimed a clean sweep, taking home Top Goalscorer, Men’s Player of the Year, and Players’ Player of the Year.
As if that wasn’t enough, he was also crowned PFA Scotland Premiership Player of the Year at the national awards ceremony last night. It’s a well-earned hat-trick of honours for a player who’s been at the heart of everything good about Celtic this season.
Maeda has scored 33 goals in 48 games across all competitions so far, including 16 in the Scottish Premiership, where he leads the scoring charts. With three league games and the Scottish Cup Final still to play, there’s every chance he adds a few more to his tally before the curtain comes down.
His goals have come in all types—near-post finishes, breakaways, headers—and his contribution goes beyond scoring. His tireless pressing and pace have given Celtic a constant threat in attack, and he’s been the first line of defence from the front.
The respect he commands in the dressing room was made clear when his teammates voted him Players’ Player of the Year. Brendan Rodgers has repeatedly praised his work ethic and attitude, calling him a “manager’s dream.”
To top it off, being voted the best player in the Premiership by fellow Premiership stars is a massive nod of respect from across the league. Maeda hasn’t just been Celtic’s standout—he’s been the standout in Scotland.
With a potential treble still in reach, Maeda’s season isn’t finished yet. But no matter what happens in the final few games of the seasonmae, his place in Celtic’s recent history is already sealed.
Daizen Maeda came to Glasgow to work. This season, he’s conquered it.
