Celtic FC Identity
Founded for charity in 1887, crowned in Lisbon in 1967—Celtic: A club where football meets community.
Celtic Football Club was founded in Glasgow in 1887 by Irish Marist Brother Walfrid to alleviate poverty among the city's East End Irish–Scots population. The club adopted its name to reflect these Irish and Scottish roots, with 'The Bhoys' serving as an official nickname derived from a postcard reading 'The Bould Bhoys'. Since 1903, the team has worn green and white hoops, a kit that has remained unchanged throughout their history. Celtic is one of only seven clubs globally to have won over 100 trophies, with 122 major honours as of May 2026.
- Founded
- 1887
- Founder
- Brother Walfrid
- Nickname
- The Bhoys
- Home Ground
- Celtic Park
- Defining Achievement
- European Cup Winners 1966-67
- Distinctive Kit
- Green and White Hoops
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
The club's origins lie in a meeting at St. Mary's church hall on 6 November 1887, where Brother Walfrid established Celtic to raise money for the Poor Children's Dinner Table. Their first official match took place on 28 May 1888 against Rangers, which they won 5–2 with Neil McCallum scoring the first goal. The club's defining moment arrived in 1967 when they became the first British team to win the European Cup under Jock Stein. The entire squad, known as the 'Lisbon Lions', were born within 30 miles of Glasgow. This success was part of a historic season where they won every competition entered, including the Scottish League, Scottish Cup, League Cup, and Glasgow Cup.
In Their Own Story
On 25 May 1967, Celtic defeated Inter Milan 2–1 in Lisbon to become the first club from outside Spain, Portugal, or Italy to win the European Cup. In 2003, an estimated 80,000 fans travelled to Seville for the UEFA Cup final. Despite losing that match to Porto, their extraordinarily loyal and sporting behaviour earned them Fair Play awards from both FIFA and UEFA.
Reader's Guide
Celtic's identity is built on a fierce rivalry with Rangers, collectively known as 'The Old Firm'. The club maintains a massive global presence, with over 160 supporters clubs in more than 20 countries. Their fanbase was estimated at 9 million worldwide in 2003. The club has won the Scottish league championship a record 56 times, most recently in 2025–26, and holds records for Scottish Cup wins (43) and League Cup wins (22).
Did You Know?
- The name 'Bhoys' with a silent 'h' imitates the Gaelic spelling system where the letter b is often accompanied by h.
- Celtic's first kit consisted of a white shirt with a green collar, black shorts, and emerald green socks before adopting hoops in 1903.
- The 7–1 victory over Rangers in the 1957 Scottish League Cup final remains the highest-scoring British domestic cup final.
- Celtic is the only club to have won the European Treble and the Quadruple, achieved during the 1966–67 season.
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