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Daily Record
Daily Record
Sport
Liam Bryce

Koki Mizuno recalls the forgotten Celtic moment that sent fans crazy in Japan

Former Celtic star Koki Mizuno has revealed the unlikely Celtic moment that was "huge" in Japan.

Mizuno spent two years at Parkhead between 2008 and 2010 as a promising young striker.

But he managed just one goal for the club across the two year spell, one that some supporters might not even remember.

He had joined countryman Shunsuke Nakamura in Glasgow and the presence of two Japanese players at the club heightened interest in their homeland, much like today with no fewer than four Japanese players in Ange Postecoglou 's side.

But Mizuno says that interest blew up when Nakamura set him up to score the only strike of his Celtic career - the final goal in a 3-0 League Cup win over Falkirk.

He insists the pair combining to score was a massive moment back home.

Mizuno told the Celtic View: “ Celtic were on TV every week because Nakamura was always of interest.

“After I joined the club, Celtic got even more attention because there were two Japanese players together. Then, when I scored against Falkirk with Nakamura assisting me, it was huge.

“Now, there are four Japanese players at the club and the attention on Celtic here is more than in my day.

"Nakamura was big for me as I wanted to follow his steps.

"I hope Kyogo Furuhashi, Reo Hatate, Daizen Maeda and Yosuke Ideguchi will be creating good steps for the next Japanese players who want to play for Celtic.”

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