Celtic Seal Record 56th Title with Late Drama Against Hearts

Celtic snatch title in Parkhead finale

The win marks Celtic’s 14th title in 15 seasons, sealed in dramatic fashion at a packed Parkhead.

Daizen Maeda and Callum Osmand netted late to deny Hearts, who needed only a draw to claim their first title in 60 years...

Celtic struck twice in the closing minutes to beat Hearts 3-1 at Celtic Park and clinch the Scottish Premiership on the final day. The win secured a record 56th league title for the club.

With the clock running down and Hearts on course for their first title in 60 years, Daizen Maeda and Callum Osmand hit late goals to break the visitors. Hearts only needed a draw to finish top.

Osmand raced through to tap into an empty net with the last kick of stoppage time, sparking pandemonium. Celtic fans poured onto the pitch in celebration.

It’s Celtic’s 14th title in 15 seasons, but this one was the hardest. They had trailed Hearts since October, until Martin O’Neill returned as interim manager in January. Under him, Celtic won seven games in a row to overhaul the gap and finish top.

“This is the most special place on Earth,” O'Neill said on the pitch. The 74-year-old has now won four league titles with Celtic, including three in the early 2000s during his five-year reign.

“This season has been mental,” Celtic full back Kieran Tierney told Sky Sports. “It's unbelievable. We never give up and this team is the most mentally strong team I've ever been involved with. This is the best thing I've ever won.”

For Celtic captain Callum McGregor, it was his 11th Scottish title. He also took time to pay tribute to O'Neill for the turnaround.

“He dragged us through time and time again,” he said. “What a season. Everyone wrote us off.”

🫧📌#Champion5 | #CelticFC🍀🏆 pic.twitter.com/HHM6Gwv24i

— Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) May 16, 2026

Hearts Miss Out Again

It was heartbreak for Hearts. They lost the title on the final day to Celtic, just as they did 40 years ago after a defeat to Dundee when a point would have been enough.

For the first time since 1991, the Scottish Premiership came down to a final-day clash between the top two. Parkhead had a cauldron-like atmosphere to match the stakes.

The visitors looked in control before the break and appeared set for glory when Lawrence Shankland headed home unmarked from a Stephen Kingsley corner in the 43rd minute.

Celtic equalized in first-half stoppage time after VAR ruled that Alexandros Kyziridis had blocked a Kieran Tierney cross with his arm. Arne Engels stepped up and converted the penalty.

Celtic pushed forward as the clock ran down, and moments after Kelechi Iheanacho hit the post, Daizen Maeda tucked one in from close range. The offside flag went up immediately, but after a tense VAR check the goal was given.

Hearts had led the table for 226 days since October and tried to hit back in stoppage time. In one final push, everyone went forward for a corner.

When Celtic cleared the ball, Hearts keeper Alexander Schwolow was caught upfield. Callum Osmand took it from deep inside his own half and ran toward the roaring green end to slot into an empty net and seal the title.

It was a crushing result for Hearts, who came closer than anyone else to breaking the Old Firm’s grip since Aberdeen won the league in 1985.

Silver is admin’s favourite colour 🥹🩶#Champion5 | #CelticFC🍀🏆 pic.twitter.com/3lVjZCY2Vy

— Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) May 16, 2026

Hearts will feel they have reason to look back at Wednesday’s game against Motherwell. A controversial stoppage-time penalty gave Celtic a 3-2 win that shifted the momentum back toward the Glasgow side.

If that match had ended in a draw, Celtic would have needed to win by three goals on Saturday to take the title.