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Fullname: Eric Benjamin Nygren
aka: Benjamin Nygren
Born: 8 July 2001
Birthplace: Gothenburg, Sweden
Signed: 27 Jun 2025 (est €1.5m/£1.3m from Nordsjaelland)
Left: –
Position: Midfielder/Right-winger
Debut: Celtic 1-0 St Mirren, SP, 3 Aug 2025
Squad No.: 08
Internationals: Sweden
International Caps: [TBC at end of career]
International Goals: [TBC at end of career]
Biog
Ben Nygren arrived at Celtic as an interesting but frugal purchase. At his age, he was likely past the rookie stage and now had to make a name for himself. Rated as an exciting talent by some commentators from his home country, he boasted a great goal-scoring record in Denmark and had won his first international caps, aiming to build on this promise. Admittedly, he wasn’t one who stood out heavily to everyone before his move to Celtic, but there were signs of burgeoning talent.
“He’s an exciting, quality player who will add to our attacking options. He’s a young player who’s already gained plenty of experience at club level, while his impressive performances last season also saw him gain his first caps for Sweden.”
Brendan Rodgers
Season 2025/26
Into his first season at Celtic, Nygren hoped to develop in an ambitious side. Rather than just learn, he found himself a crux to the team, pulling them along in a turbulent season marked by multiple managers, a failing squad, and a lacklustre on-field performance—only for Celtic to rediscover their form late on and win the coveted domestic league title!
He hit the ground running, scoring his debut goal in only his second match: a fine opener in a 2-0 victory v Aberdeen (Aug 2025), a key win as Aberdeen had defeated Celtic in the Scottish Cup final a few months earlier to deny them the domestic treble.
Once settled into the side—from around Oct 2025, when he helped save Celtic with an equaliser in a 3-2 victory v Motherwell (Oct 2025)—he found his scoring boots. He may not have scored classic goals, but he found a way to steal goals in tight, compact boxes, always in the right place at the right time. His enthusiasm and commitment were clear, and he was undoubtedly valuable to the managers looking for anything to keep the side afloat. He found space and took his chances, getting beyond the midfielders and into areas where no one was sure who should be marking him. He soon scored the winner in the Europa League v Sturm Graz (2-1, Oct 2025), and it was clear he had settled in.
He scored both domestically and in Europe (e.g. wins v Utrecht and Feyenoord), and in key games across all competitions. If there was a single reason Celtic managed to remain in the title race for so long, it was emphatically Nygren. With Celtic facing yet another exit from the race after drawing with Aberdeen in a rearranged match, it was Nygren who once again popped up to score the vital goal that won Celtic the match (2-1, Mar 2026).
As a player, he was not flashy, but direct and pacy. He was not the centrepoint of any attack and relied more on commitment than style to win the ball or act as a playmaker. Linking up well with his colleagues, he had the bottle to take the shot when needed, from wherever, and that was a valuable talent in a squad often lacking effectiveness in crucial moments.
Despite his decent return of goals, he didn’t impress everyone. Poor performances against Sevco away and in the calamitous Champions League matches v Almaty Kairat exposed his lack of pace and weaknesses. Playing on the right wing didn’t always suit his game, and it was evident he lacked some physicality, needing to build up his strength to develop further. Others felt he could lose the ball too easily in challenges, do more off the ball, and often squandered opportunities.
Some notable online Celtic media commentators were vociferous in their criticism, but there were plenty others who praised the player. If anything, he was a bit of a Marmite figure!
Regardless, in a difficult league campaign that saw Celtic come from behind both Hearts and TheRangers against all the odds to win the title, Nygren proved his worth. He scored a screamer, blowing the roof off the away end at Fir Park in a taut 3-2 win (May 2026) with an exceptional long shot from outside the box. In the do-or-die title decider v Hearts (3-1, May 2026), he came so close to winning the title with several efforts, but the attempts added the pressure that were to go on to break Hearts down for Celtic to take the league title. His joy in the post-match celebrations said it all:
“It feels so amazing. We’ve been fighting so much all season and now we’re champions. It’s been a very difficult season, but we kept fighting, kept believing, so I’m so proud of everyone in the team. I wasn’t so nervous [before the game]. We had everything to win, so I think they were more nervous than we were.”
Nygren
Celtic went on to win the league and cup double that season, and Nygren was awarded the club’s Player of the Season award—much deserved, despite any comments to the contrary.
Nygren may not be perfect, but in this season, he was—by far—the most dependable goalscorer for Celtic, even when played out of position, and too often the only one the respective managers could rely on. Striker deficiencies were an absolutely ridiculous state of affairs at Celtic, even before Iheanacho’s injury. In some ways, some were just too over-critical of this player at this stage. Although Nygren could be an enigma and frustrating to some, he was still generally reliable and punching above his weight.
What was unarguable was that, despite the naysayers, Nygren was scoring great goals when the side were under pressure for results.
Season 2026/27
[….]
Quotes
“He’s a player that I’m sure our supporters will enjoy watching.”
Brendan Rodgers (Jun 2025)
“[Nygren is the] fourth favourite Swede behind Bjorn Borg, ABBA, and Henrik Larsson”
Martin O’Neill (2026)
“You don’t see much of Nygren when he is playing in the middle of the park. But he makes up for it with his late runs into the box, and his ability to find the back of the net again and again”
Ex-Rangers player and now Nygren’s agent Peter Lovenkrands (2026)
“He is a prospect and he’s going to get better. Imagine him playing for a top Premier League side. I’m not saying that Celtic are not top side but they are in Scotland. Nygren could play for Manchester United and he’d probably score 20 goals a season in the Premier League. He’s that good. Henrik Larsson was an idol when he played for Celtic, and he played for Barcelona too. Benjamin Nygren isn’t playing for Sweden when Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres are fit but now that Isak can’t [due to injury] he is definitely going to start upfront against Ukraine. He’s knocked in 20 odd goals in Scotland.”
Former Everton and Sweden winger Anders Limpar (2026)
“He’s doing something that is the most difficult thing in the game – to score goals. And he’s popped up again with what proved to be the winning goal.”
MoN on Nygren (Mar 2026)
–
Playing Career
[Table to indicate clubs played for, including dates, transfers and fees where known [e.g. soccerbase table]]
| APPEARANCES (subs) |
LEAGUE | SCOTTISH CUP | LEAGUE CUP | EUROPE | TOTAL |
| 2025-26 | 38 | 5 | 3 | 12 | 58 |
| Goals | 16 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 21 |
| 2026-27 | |||||
| Goals | |||||
| 2027-28 | |||||
| Goals | |||||
| 2028-29 | |||||
| Goals | |||||
| Total | |||||
| Goals |
Honours with Celtic
(Honours are marked below in which the player has played in at least one of the matches in the campaign.)
Scottish League
- 2025-26, […]
Scottish Cup
- 2025-26, […]
Scottish League Cup
- […]
Pictures
Forums
Articles
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Notes
Articles
Celtic buy Sweden’s ‘exciting’ Nygren from Nordsjaelland
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c8jg4p8l712o
Sweden winger Benjamin Nygren has joined Celtic on for an undisclosed fee from Nordsjaelland, with manager Brendan Rodgers suggesting “he’s a player that I’m sure our supporters will enjoy watching”.
The 23-year-old, who has signed a five-year contract, has scored 35 goals in 107 appearances for the Danish side and has had spells with IFK Gothenburg, Genk and Heerenveen.
Nygren has scored twice in his first four senior international appearances, which have all taken place in 2025.
“He’s an exciting, quality player who will add to our attacking options,” Rodgers said.
“He’s a young player who’s already gained plenty of experience at club level, while his impressive performances last season also saw him gain his first caps for Sweden.”
Nygren told Celtic TV that “I feel amazing” after completing his transfer.
“I’m a very competitive person and this is something that I love about Celtic,” he said. “It’s a huge club and I love that – and also the winning mentality.
“I want to be with similar-minded people who also love to win.”
Asked what fans can expect from him, the Swede added: “I’m a player who wants to create a lot of chances and go towards goal.
“I’m a link between the defence and the offence and I can run a lot. I’m an offensive-minded player, but I also work hard and try to do my best in all parts of the game.
“I had my breakthrough when I was very young, so even though I’m 23 years old, I have played over 200 games. I have a lot of experience and that’s what I want to bring.”
Nygren leaves Nordsjaelland as the fourth-highest scoring player in their history after just three-and-a-half seasons with the side he helped finish fifth in the Danish Superleague last season.
“I came to FC Nordsjælland as a young boy and now I am leaving the club as a grown man,” he told the club website. “It has been a fantastic time for me.
“It has been important for me to play regularly and get big challenges both in the Superliga and in the Conference League. I was proud to wear the captain’s armband in many of the games this spring.”
Football director Alexander Riget said Nygren was moving on “by mutual agreement”.
“Benjamin Nygren is a really good example of what we can do as a football club,” he said.
“He came to FC Nordsjaelland as a 20-year-old talent who needed to find himself and now he is moving on in his career after having gone through a strong development where he has most recently established himself as a Swedish A-national team player.”
Benjamin Nygren: I was delighted to celebrate my goal with the fans
By Paul Cuddihy, Celtic View Editor
10 Aug 2025, 3:36 pm
Benjamin Nygren scored his first goal in Celtic colours, firing home from a Kieran Tierney to give the Hoops a 1-0 lead at Pittodrie.
And the Swedish internationalist turned provider in the second-half, slotting the ball in for Reo Hatate to produce a stunning finish to set the seal on an impressive Celtic performance.
Nygren picked up the Man of the Match award after the game, and the 24-year-old midfielder was delighted to play his part in the victory as he explained to Celtic TV.
“It was a very good game and a solid performance from everyone,” he said. “I think especially the players at the back had an amazing game.
“Aberdeen couldn’t get through us and I thought, in general, that it was a very good performance. We had good control, a perfect win and a clean sheet.
“That’s how I want to play. I can run a lot so I want to be involved as much as possible and help the team to win, so I’m very pleased with my performance and the team’s performance today.
“It was amazing (his goal) – a perfect cross from Kieran and a solid finish, and I ran over to celebrate with the fans and the team.
“I’ve said it many times but, for me, football is nothing without the fans. Celtic is such a big club with lovely fans so they’re a part of the team and part of the club, so I’m so happy to celebrate with everyone.”
Peter Lovenkrands defends Benjamin Nygren from critics after watching Celtic man’s career in Denmark
Amir Mir
Tue 24 February 2026 14:00, UK
One of the positives from Celtic’s defeat to Hibernian on Sunday was Benjamin Nygren getting on the scoresheet again.
Despite Celtic as a team struggling for goals this season, the summer signing from FC Nordsjælland has found the back of the net with ease, just like he did in midweek against VfB Stuttgart in the Europa League, and then against Hibs.
Peter Lovenkrands watched Nygren during his days in Denmark, and he lauded the Sweden international as ‘quite impressive’ despite having his critics.
The former SPFL striker thinks Nygren has been ‘getting a lot of stick’ this season, but he came to the versatile forward’s defence.
Peter Lovenkrands on watching Benjamin Nygren’s career amid Celtic goals
Speaking on BBC Sportscene, Lovenkrands didn’t argue that ‘you don’t see much’ of Nygren when he is playing in the middle of the park.
But he feels the Celtic man makes up for it with his ‘late runs’ into the box, and his ability to find the back of the net again and again.
Nygren’s header against Hibernian was his 18th strike of the season, and Lovenkrands thinks ‘he has been great’ for the champions of Scotland.
“He has been getting a lot of stick, sometimes,” said Lovenkrands. “I don’t think he has deserved most of it.
“Yeah, he has been one of those players who you don’t see as much. But 18 goals and six assists for Celtic this season. That’s quite impressive for a midfielder, and you’re not even at the split yet.
“He’s probably got more goals in him. He is always there. Late runs into the box. This is what he is so good at. He did this so much in Denmark when I watched him for Nordsjælland. He comes into the box, late runs into the box, and he’s a good finisher.
“That’s a header coming in (against Hibernian). He knows just to get the head on it. Get it into the ground.
“For me, he is getting a little too hard stick. I think he has been great.”
The issue with Nygren isn’t the player himself, but what is around him. Celtic’s midfield has struggled, and the strikers can’t find the back of the net.
Then you have the wide players lacking potency, and the defence already conceding more this season than they did for the entire 2024/25 campaign.
You want more from Nygren, outside of his goals, but he isn’t a box-to-box midfielder, nor is he a player who runs the show from the middle of the park, so his performances are devalued when that shouldn’t be the case.
Chris Sutton says Benjamin Nygren Celtic’s ‘strangest player’ despite elite 11.6km Euro running stats
Amir Mir
Tue 3 March 2026 19:30, UK
Benjamin Nygren has 18 goals to his name this season, but the Celtic star still has his critics.
One of them is Chris Sutton, who only over a month ago stated that Nygren ‘hasn’t been a success‘ since moving to Celtic in the summer from FC Nordsjælland.
Fast forward to the present, and Sutton has stated that Nygren is ‘the strangest player’ in Scotland following the Hoops’ 2-2 draw at Rangers on Sunday at Ibrox.
“He’s the strangest player in Scottish football,” said Sutton. “You look at his goals record, and it’s amazing.
“He has this tremendous instinct for goals. But actually, what you want from him in that midfield is to control games. I just don’t think he has the legs.”
What has Chris Sutton said about Benjamin Nygren now?
Nygren started in the middle of the park at Ibrox, alongside Callum McGregor and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain – the latter was subbed off at half-time.
It was Reo Hatate who changed the game, as Sutton was touching upon Celtic’s slow-paced midfield following the match.
That’s when he mentioned the ‘enigma’ that is Nygren, and how he has a ‘tremendous instinct’ for goals, but doesn’t have the legs to operate in the middle of the park, as he told the Warm-Up.
“Martin O’Neill, the changes he made at half-time, was that an admission that he got things wrong in the first half?” said Sutton. “I think so.
“I also have sympathy for him because, when you look at Hatate’s performances this season. They have been so poor. He looks so disinterested. He looks like he is sulking.
“With Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, I talked to you before the game about Celtic’s midfield. You have to have legs.
“Nygren is an enigma, isn’t he? He’s the strangest player in Scottish football. You look at his goals record, and it’s amazing.
“He has this tremendous instinct for goals. But actually, what you want from him in that midfield is to control games. I just don’t think he has the legs. I don’t know what his best position is. I think that’s something that has been levelled at him throughout his career.”
Unfortunately, Scottish football doesn’t provide week-to-week in-game data where fans, pundits and the media can digest the detailed stats of teams and players.
But UEFA’s tracking data does provide those detailed stats, and Nygren’s running stats on the European stage this season make for interesting reading.
The Swedish star played ten Europa League games this term, starting seven of them, playing over 600 minutes and playing around 60 minutes per match.
Games Starts Goals Assists Total minutes Distance covered per match Top speed
10 7 4 1 616 11.6KM 31.47 km/h
The interesting thing here is that an all-action midfielder in the Europa League is covering an average of ‘11.5 km to 12.5 km per 90 minutes’, so in that sense, Nygren is hitting the mark.
On such a difficult stage, he is showing he has the legs to move across the pitch; perhaps it’s just a perception that has grown around his game since moving to Scotland?
When it comes to speed, the top players are around the ‘35.0 km/h to 36.5 km/h’ mark, which isn’t a surprise because Nygren isn’t known for his speed, but he still covers the ground very well, despite that.
Nygren is still moving around the pitch in Europe like an elite player would; perhaps he needs better legs around him to bring the most out of him, rather than looking at the player himself?
“I’ve tried to show what I’m all about straight away,” Benjamin Nygren
By Conor Spence 6 September, 2025 TheCelticStar
Benjamin Nygren has insisted that he only truly understood the scale of the club after completing his move…
Since joining from Nordsjaelland, the 24-year-old Sweden midfielder has so far flattered to deceive despite scoring three times in his first four league starts. Now away with the Swedish national team, Nygren revealed that the scale of Celtic has taken him by surprise since arriving at the Scottish champions.
Speaking via The Herald, Nygren said: “I knew Celtic were an extremely big club, but I think it’s hard to understand how big the club is if you haven’t been there. If you haven’t been to the city or to a match or something. It’s very special. It means more there in Scotland. They really live for the club in a different way than what we are used to here.”
“The move has ticked a lot of boxes for me. Celtic are a top club, a very big club, they sell out every game and they have a lot of supporters. Then they play in Europe and win titles.”
“They have everything, really. It’s been a good start. I’ve tried to show what I’m all about straight away and it’s paid off. It means a lot to me to have scored some goals and had some good performances.”
Celtic’s new summer signing has also revealed that qualifying for the World Cup in America, Canada and Mexico is his biggest ambition in football.
“My biggest dream is to play in the World Cup,” he said. I think many others on the team also have that as their main ambition too. It will be a big challenge trying to make it to the Finals.”
Hopefully performances improve at club level when he returns from international break as Celtic are desperately lacking creativity at the top end of the pitch.
Conor Spence
Nygren divides opinions but he’s capable of winning over his critics
By justanordinarybhoy 25 September, 2025 1 , TheCelticStar
Benjamin Nygren proving his worth once again. He’s a player who divides opinions among the Celtic support but for me and more importantly for Brendan Rodgers, he is very highly rated indeed…
Benjamin Nygren once again contributed to our cause by suppling an assist for Kelechi Iheanacho’s fine goal in Belgrade last night, not to mention several other chances that could well have been converted.
To date the Sweden international midfielder has registered seven goal contributions (three goals plus four assists) in his ten competitive appearances thus far as we sit top of the standings, secured a place in the Premier Sports League cup semi-finals (where we’ll take on theRangers in a Glasgow Derby at Hampden Park on Sunday 2 November) and made a decent start to our Europa League campaign.
Benjamin Nygren once again contributed to our cause by suppling an assist for Kelechi Iheanacho’s fine goal in Belgrade last night, not to mention several other chances that could well have been converted.
To date the Sweden international midfielder has registered seven goal contributions (three goals plus four assists) in his ten competitive appearances thus far as we sit top of the standings, secured a place in the Premier Sports League cup semi-finals (where we’ll take on theRangers in a Glasgow Derby at Hampden Park on Sunday 2 November) and made a decent start to our Europa League campaign.
However Swedish international is already becoming a vital cog in Brendan’s system, and to say he doesn’t contribute to the side in a positive way is daft. Clearly he’s not the finished article yet and is a player that Brendan Rodgers will look to develop so for me Benji Nygren is a Celtic star in the making.
Watch him get better and better!
Just an Ordinary Bhoy
‘Didn’t come here to not play’: Celtic star fires out warning amid fierce rivalry for position
By Mark Atkinson
https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/celtic/latest-celtic-news/didnt-come-here-to-not-play-celtic-star-fires-out-warning-amid-fierce-rivalry-for-position-5266112
Published 11th Aug 2025, 18:00 BST
Swedish midfielder has been given shirt for opening matches and doesn’t plan to relinquish it
Benjamin Nygren was no doubt aware that when he signed for Celtic earlier this summer, competition for starts in midfield would be fierce.
Before his arrival, five into three would not go. Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers already had captain Callum McGregor, Reo Hatate, Arne Engels, Luke McCowan and Paulo Bernardo to call upon in the middle of the pitch.
Six makes it more of a crowd, so some even wondered if Nygren, a £1.5 million from FC Nordsjaelland, would be used as a wide player, given Celtic’s weakest area of the pitch appears to be at the top end.
Nygren scored 16 goals in 32 matches in Danish football last season, the majority coming from left or right wing. Yet so far Rodgers has used him as a No 8 in his midfield, with the Swedish international preferred to club record signing Engels, McCowan and Bernardo, leaving nearly £20m worth of talent on the bench.
Rodgers’ decision has been vindicated. His debut against St Mirren in the 1-0 win was reasonable, but he proved his value to the team at Pittodrie against Aberdeen, netting the opener and then providing an assist to Hatate as Celtic ran out comfortable 2-0 winners over the Dons.
The 24-year-old linked nicely on the left of the midfield three with marauding wing-back Kieran Tierney. There appears no reason to move him from his station so far and Nygren himself words of warning for those he is keeping out of the team.
Nygren sets out his Celtic mentality
“I didn’t come here to not play,” Nygren said after the victory over Aberdeen. “Of course, I came here to try to come in fast and show my abilities in training and training games. Of course, I came here to help the team win games.
“That’s my mentality. There is competition but that is part of football, that’s how it is in big clubs. It would be weird if there were only 11 good players in such a big team as Celtic. I think we have 25 or 30 good players in Celtic, but only 11 can start the game. It’s a very long season.
“Now we’ve only played our two first games, so we will need a lot of players, a lot of good quality players. I think we have that. In terms of my position, I think it’s preferable where I started the game on Sunday. But I’m a player that has played a lot of positions. For me, I don’t think too much of the positions. It’s football, you need football intelligence.”
Nygren clearly has that. Rodgers often identifies players who have the hunger to develop and learn, to take in instructions. The Gothenburg native is clearly enjoying life at Celtic Park and will hope to be involved against Falkirk in the Premier Sports Cup on Friday back on home soil.
“It was amazing to make my official debut at Celtic Park,” said Nygren. “It’s something I’ve visualised since I signed for the club. It was an amazing feeling and I can’t wait to play many more games.
“I could have scored last week [against St Mirren] but that’s part of football. Sometimes keepers make good saves and that’s how it is. It’s part of my game, that’s also why I scored many goals last season. I can run a lot, so I always come a little bit from behind.
“Can I score as many as last season? Everything is possible.”
Benjamin Nygren compared to Scott McTominay as Celtic debate intensifies
Benjamin Nygren has been compared to Scott McTominay amid criticism about his contribution to Celtic.
By Jessica Elliott
Mar 30, 2026
Benjamin Nygren is Celtic’s top scorer this season, but he has still been on the receiving end of a lot of criticism. Some supporters think that his overall contribution is lacking though, with people upset that he sometimes leaves the midfield weak because of his advanced positioning.
After Scotland’s 1-0 loss to Japan at Hampden at the weekend, Stephen McGinn, brother of John McGinn, compared the Nygren debate to how some people speak about Scott McTominay.
He said to Go Radio: “It’s probably the same debate with Celtic fans and Nygren. Some are split about him; you can’t ignore the goals and assists. But they are split about him as an actual midfielder.
“Part of the thing with a goalscoring midfielder is you have a striker, and you time your run into the box. It’s a different game. Your back to goal. You need to bring players into play. I get it. But I can also see why managers don’t do it.”
Harsh on both players
Although Nygren certainly receives more criticism than McTominay, it’s harsh on both players. When you consider that McTominay has 18 goal involvements in 68 matches for Scotland, and Nygren has scored 19 in all competitions this season, the players are performing to the best of their ability.
Focusing on Nygren, he has been one of the highlights of a Hoops team who have been struggling this season. Under three different managers – Brendan Rodgers, Wilfried Nancy and Martin O’Neill – he has managed to stay consistent, finding the net and helping the Celts in the title race.
Now, with his team sitting third in the Scottish Premiership table, below both Hearts and Rangers, he will hopefully continue his good form, as it will be crucial if O’Neill’s side wants to retain the league title.
If Celtic manage to hold onto Nygren going into next season, he can be the type of player we should build around. Oftentimes this season, we have been left with two players in what should be a midfield three because the Swede has pushed forward, so if we can bring in new signings or the manager has different tactics to rectify that, then he could turn from a criticised player to an adored one.
After the season that Nygren has had, there is no doubt that there will be interest in him at the end of the season. Clubs will be in for him, so let’s hope that the Hoops can keep the midfield on their books.
Nygren’s World Cup High And Celtic’s Title Grind: Can One Fuel The Other?
By
Rohit Sarkar –
April 6, 2026
Benjamin Nygren returned from the international break carrying something that no training session can manufacture, and that is the memory of winning when his country needed him most. The 24-year-old Swedish midfielder, speaking to the press as relayed by BBC Sport, described helping Sweden book a spot at this summer’s World Cup as the best experience so far in my football career, adding that the night felt almost like a movie.
Nygren set up a goal in Sweden’s 3-2 victory over Poland in Tuesday’s play-off final to secure his nation’s place at the tournament. This came after Graham Potter’s side finished bottom of Group B in the qualifiers before fighting through the Nations League third-tier playoff route involving Slovakia, Estonia, and Azerbaijan. The Swede, who joined Celtic on a five-year deal in the summer of 2025 from Nordsjælland, didn’t hesitate to draw a direct parallel between Sweden’s unlikely qualification and Celtic’s current position in the title race.
He acknowledged that Celtic enter the week seven points behind league leaders Hearts with seven games left, following a loss to Dundee United before the break, but he pointed to belief and collective spirit as the tools that pulled Sweden through.
“It was an unbelievable experience,” Nygren said of his country’s unlikely World Cup qualification.
“Something I’ve dreamt about since I was a kid. It was an incredible night. I think the best experience so far in my football career. It was almost like a movie. It’s a little bit the same situation in a way,” the 24-year-old added.
“In Sweden, we were counted out, and we made it. That feeling was absolutely unbelievable. I want to do the same here. Just keep on training hard, keep on believing. I think that’s the most important thing. Believing as an individual but also as a group, as a team.
The whole club, the players, staff, fans, everyone together. Then we can make it. It’s in tough moments that you really can show who you are as a person and as a team. That’s what we need to do. I’ve said it before, but I think we have a great group and a great team. I think we’ve shown many times this season that we never stop believing and we never stop working hard. So I’m believing in this group.”
Does Nygren’s Belief Hold Importance, or Is the Gap Simply Too Wide?
Something is compelling about Nygren’s confidence, but belief alone rarely overturns a seven-point deficit in a league as unforgiving as the Scottish Premiership. Hearts have enjoyed a standout season, taking full advantage of strange campaigns from both Celtic and Rangers to sit top of the table heading into 2026. Celtic, meanwhile, have cycled through managers in a way that would rattle any dressing room, moving from Brendan Rodgers to Wilfried Nancy before sticking to Martin O’Neill. Despite the chaos, Nygren has stayed consistent, racking up 19 goals and seven assists this season.
However, the reality surrounding the 24-year-old is more complex than his scoring record. He often drifts in and out of matches, and Celtic haven’t settled on his best position. While his World Cup heroics have boosted morale, the logic is different. Sweden needed one big night; Celtic need to be perfect for seven weeks. With Premier League interest growing, his rallying call feels bittersweet. Celtic’s most vital player is likely heading for the exit, and no cinematic memory changes that math for the club.
‘He’d score 20 goals’: Celtic talisman tipped to shine for Man Utd amid comparisons to £65m marksman
By Graham Falk, Scotsman
Sports Writer
Published 11th Mar 2026, 10:45 B
Celtic midfielder has been backed to be a major success in the English Premier League.
Celtic talisman Benjamin Nygren has been told he could make a major impact in the English Premier League after his brilliant start to life at Parkhead this season.
The Swedish international has become a key player for Martin O’Neill’s side this season, topping the scoring charts in his debut campaign for the Scottish champions with an impressive 19 goals in all competitions.
Costing just £1.7million when he signed from FC Nordsjælland in the summer, Nygren has been the shining light in a difficult season for Celtic, leading to reports of emerging interest from English sides last month, and he has been tipped to become a huge success in the English top flight should he move there in the future.
“He is a prospect and he’s going to get better,” said former Everton and Sweden winger Anders Limpar. “Imagine him playing for a top Premier League side. I’m not saying that Celtic are not top side but they are in Scotland. Nygren could play for Manchester United and he’d probably score 20 goals a season in the Premier League. He’s that good.
“Henrik Larsson was an idol when he played for Celtic, and he played for Barcelona too. Benjamin Nygren isn’t playing for Sweden when Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres are fit but now that Isak can’t [due to injury] he is definitely going to start upfront against Ukraine. He’s knocked in 20 odd goals in Scotland.
Limpar, who made 99 appearances in the English Premier League playing for both Arsenal and Everton, also hopes to see Nygren given an opportunity for the Swedish national team in the coming weeks. With Liverpool forward Alexander Isak missing for the upcoming friendly fixture against Ukraine due to a broken leg, Limpar claims that the 24-year-old should be his direct replacement, claiming he is on a similar trajectory to one of Europe’s most deadly goal-scorers.
“I think he has better technique than Viktor Gyokeres,” Limpar told FruityKing. “He can come deep, receive the ball. But he’s not close to the whole picture of Viktor as a player yet. He is scoring vital goals for Celtic and he’s doing well. I saw him for Sweden against Switzerland away and he did ok. He is a prospect. He has a nose for scoring goals.
“We like him in Sweden and I wish him all the best. He is another player I wish to see stay a couple of seasons at Celtic, to settle in and then go. But he will definitely play a big role for Sweden with Viktor upfront.”