Daizen Maeda has taken to social media to thank the Raith Rovers players for their kindness towards his children before Celtic’s Scottish Cup tie on Saturday night. The Japanese forward was accompanied onto the pitch by his son and daughter, and the Raith players made a point of including them in the pre-match handshakes.
Posting on social media, Maeda said: “Thank you to all the @RaithRovers players for being so kind to my daughter and son and we wish them the best of luck for the rest of the season!”
It was a small but classy moment as the Raith players acknowledged Maeda’s children in the lineup, shaking their hands along with their Celtic opponents. The simple gesture clearly meant a lot to the Celtic forward, who took the time to publicly recognise their sportsmanship.
Be prepared to have your orbitofrontal cortex triggered to extremes as Soyo & Tensei join Super Dad Daizen Maeda on the pitch before today’s Celtic – Raith Rovers Scottish Cup tie.
Love the way wee Tensei gets to pitchside after proceedings & is reluctant to leave his dad. pic.twitter.com/843CNgFi7Z
— The Fast Lovin’ Sin-Soaked Heathen (@fast_sin) February 8, 2025
A Night to Remember for Maeda
The heartwarming moment was just the beginning of a memorable night for Maeda, as he went on to score a hat-trick in Celtic’s resounding 5-0 victory. His treble made him the first Celtic player since Moussa Dembélé in 2017 to score three hat-tricks in a 12-month span, with all of his coming in cup competitions.
Celtic’s dominance was clear from the start, with Raith struggling to cope with the intensity of Brendan Rodgers’ side. Maeda’s goals ensured a comfortable passage into the Scottish Cup quarter-finals, as Celtic continue their pursuit of a domestic treble.
Respect in Football
While Celtic were ruthless on the pitch, Raith Rovers showed their class off it. Their players’ gesture before kick-off was great sportsmanship and mutual respect that still exists in football. Maeda’s public acknowledgement only reinforces how much it meant to him and his family.
