CALLUM McGREGOR is determined to add to his extraordinary record of successive Cup Final triumphs when he leads out Celtic against Rangers this afternoon.
The Hoops’ serial-winning captain will be looking to pick up his THIRTEENTH honour in a row to maintain his astonishing 100 per cent sequence in silverware showpieces at Hampden.
McGregor has played in six League Cup showdowns and won the lot with today’s opponents on the receiving end twice – 1-0 in 2019 and 2-1 four years later.
Aberdeen have also been downed twice in the sequence – 3-0 in 2016 and 1-0 two years later – while Motherwell, 2-0 in 2017, and Hibs, 2-1 in 2021, have hoisted the tally to six.
The inspirational 31-year-old onfield leader was an unused substitute when Ronny Deila’s team beat Dundee United 2-0 in the 2015 Final.
ROARING SUCCESS…Callum McGregor holds aloft the League Cup with Daizen Maeda for company after the 2-1 triumph over Rangers at Hampden in February last year.
On the iconic date of May 25 this year, McGregor collected his sixth Scottish Cup winners’ medal following the late strike from Adam Idah to claim the only goal of a tense derby encounter.
The Hoops icon kicked off the first of six celebrations in the national competition after Tom Rogic had stroked home his memorable last-gasp winner in the 2-1 success over Aberdeen in 2017.
The Celtic Academy product kept the run going with victories over Motherwell (2-0), Hearts (2-0 and 3-3 aet, 4-3 on pens), Inverness Caley Thistle (3-1) and Philippe Clement’s Ibrox outfit to bring down the curtain on a a league and Cup double in Brendan Rodgers’ comeback crusade.
The clever and astute ball artiste has also lifted the Premiership crown on nine occasions. Including his appearance on the bench in the League Cup success over the Tannadice team in 2015, McGregor has won 22 honours in his glittering career.
Victory today will put him on a par with club legend Billy McNeill and two behind all-time best Bobby Lennox.
McGregor also played in five Cup Finals as a youth team player and emerged triumphant in all of those occasions, too.
After the League Cup victory over the Ibrox club in February 2023, the skilful middle-of-the-park performer, speaking in a CQN report, said: “It’s not a bad record, is it?”
HA-HA-HAMPDEN…Callum McGregor and Greg Taylor share a joke after the 1-0 Scottish Cup Final triumph over Rangers at the national stadium on May 25 this year.
At the same time, Celtic’s onfield leader added: “When you get to Finals you’re desperate to win. Throw into them the fact that it’s Rangers and it goes up another notch. It was nice to do it the way we did, as well. I thought we were outstanding in the first-half.
“Overall, I was delighted for the players. Good teams win trophies and they win them consistently. That’s the be all and end all in football.
“When I get to these occasions, I just try and really focus on the game, what you’ve got to do to make it a success and also focus on the team.
“That selflessness, team ethic, the team working for each other, working and running and doing all the nasty bits of the game that’ll hopefully take us over the line.”
Outstanding one-club man McGregor has also claimed a breathtaking FIVE domestic trebles at Celtic.
A win this afternoon will open the way for a sixth clean sweep!
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