18-07-2025
Kasper Schmeichel tells Celtic fans what he's really thinking about fairytale Parkhead ending
The Hoops No.1 turns 39 in November and is entering the final year of his Parkhead contract
Kasper Schmeichel may be turning 39 in November. But the Celtic keeper hasn't even thought about hanging up the gloves.
The Denmark veteran has enjoyed a glittering career at the highest level.
A Premier League title-winner, more than 100 international caps and the captain of his country.
He's long since stepped out of the shadow of his famous father, Peter.
However, the reality is that Schmeichel is deep into the twilight of his career. And with just a year left on his Parkhead contract, fans will be wondering how long he has left in the tank.
For now, the goalkeeper will enter the new season as the Scottish champions' No.1. But as a man who has achieved so much in the game, Schmeichel remains laser-focused on raising standards and chasing silverware.
He said: "That's not my mindset. I haven't done everything. There's a lot still to accomplish.
"In all honesty, I never think like that. I've never been the type of guy to think in restrictions or limitations or anything like that.
"At the moment, I'm just loving playing football. I love being part of a club where the culture is so driven by winning.
"That really motivates me every single day to get up to it, to make sure that we uphold those standards and keep striving for more.
"As long as I'm enjoying that and as long as that hunger or desire, whatever you want to call it, is there, then I'll keep playing."
Hearts great Craig Gordon could become one of the oldest players to appear at a World Cup if Scotland qualify for 2026.
The Celtic Invincible Treble winner turns 43 in December but Schmeichel refused to say if he plans to join the over-40s club.
"I'm not the type of person to say that I'm going to do this or going to do that", he said. "I take everything as it comes. At this stage of my career, nothing's ever guaranteed.
"It never is at any point, but one injury can end your career at this stage. I think for me, it's all about being here, contributing, enjoying every single minute. The only way I do that is by being part of a winning team."
After a couple of mixed years abroad with Nice and Anderlecht, Schmeichel has rediscovered his spark in Scotland.
He marked his debut campaign in Glasgow with a league and cup double and clearly thrives on the expectation and demands of playing for a footballing powerhouse.
He said: "When you're at a club like Celtic, you're not going to be here if your mindset isn't about winning.
"We say it all the time. Anything but a win, that just won't do for us. We have to have that mindset.
"It's something that's talked about every single day. Every single day, you turn up to training. It's 100 per cent.
"You're not coming in for a half-day or whatever. You're coming in and you're here to win.
"For me, personally, I've been in a few clubs. That's the most enjoyable environment to be in.
"I don't really know how to explain it. It'd take a while, I think. The mechanisms of it are obviously quite deep-rooted within the club.
"That's what's expected. Anyone who walks in the door of this club knows exactly what's expected of them.
"If they don't, they'll find out very, very fast if you're one or two down at home, for example.
"It's obviously driven by the manager and people like Callum McGregor and James Forrest that have been here for a long time."
Schmeichel made his first appearance of pre-season in Celtic's impressive 2-0 victory over Sporting Lisbon in Faro.
He only rejoined the group last week after being called up for an international friendly double-header in June.
The 38-year-old made a couple of decent first-half stops to deny the Portuguese champs before making way for deputy Viljami Sinisalo at the break.
Asked how he copes with the demands of the modern calendar, he shrugged: "It's part of the game. It is modern international football now.
"At the end of the day, I'm of the opinion that I'm in the game to play. I want to play games. I love playing games. You're a long-time retired.
"I wish we'd have gone to the Club World Cup or whatever, just to have that experience as well. It's one of those things. As a footballer, that's life. We're not going to complain about it. We're here to do a job.
"We're very, very privileged to have this job. We get time off during the year sometimes. We have afternoons off and things like that. I'm not going to complain."
Schmeichel will go back to where it all began this season when Celts face newly-promoted Falkirk.
The ex-Manchester City youth spent a transformative six months on loan with the Bairns as a rookie in 2007, starring under John 'Yogi' Hughes, before a meteoric rise to stardom.
Falkirk will always hold a special place in his heart as he added: "Yeah, for sure. It was one of those things coming up.
"It was nice to play against them in the cup last year, which was great.
"It'll be special to play against them and to play at Falkirk as well. It'll be an incredible experience again. It was many years ago.
"A great club gave me an unbelievable opportunity at 18 or something like that.
"I've got a few Yogi stories. He's another guy I owe a lot to. At that age, to get a chance, I played my first ever game on live TV.
"I played against Celtic, I played against the likes of Rangers and all these kinds of teams that were big games.
"It got me noticed and gave me a springboard to go and show what I can do."
