Celtic's dynamic forward Daizen Maeda has officially secured his spot in Japan's 26-man squad for this summer's World Cup, set to take place across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. This marks a significant milestone for the 28-year-old, who is heading to his second consecutive World Cup finals after making a memorable impact in the 2022 tournament in Qatar, where he scored once in three appearances as Japan advanced to the last 16.

Maeda, who has netted four goals in 27 caps for his country, is currently laser-focused on delivering a domestic double for Celtic before joining the national team. The Hoops face a thrilling title decider against Hearts this Saturday, followed by the Scottish Cup final against Dunfermline next weekend. It's a high-stakes period for the forward, who will be looking to carry that momentum onto the global stage.

Japan's World Cup campaign kicks off on June 14 against the Netherlands in Group F, followed by clashes with Tunisia on June 21 and Sweden five days later. However, the squad announcement came with notable omissions. Brighton's electrifying winger Kaoru Mitoma, sidelined by a hamstring injury, was not included, while Celtic teammate Reo Hatate also missed the cut after struggling for form this season and not receiving a call-up for over a year.

As Maeda prepares to trade the green and white of Celtic for the blue of Japan, fans will be watching closely to see if his relentless energy and sharp finishing can help his nation make another deep run in the world's biggest football tournament.