Most of the Celtic squad have a lot to look forward to over the coming weeks. The Scottish Cup Final against Dunfermline is on Saturday. That could be a great end to what has been a difficult, but rewarding season. Then there’s the World Cup coming up quickly afterwards. A dream for some Celtic players named in squads.
Michel Ange Balikwisha is not in that category. He would have hoped for so much more last summer when he signed up for a move to Glasgow. He has, though, been a massive flop at Celtic, and that’s led to his World Cup dream being wrecked. Balikwisha hasn't been named in the DR Congo squad for the 2026 finals.
To be fair, the World Cup news isn't likely to have come as a surprise to the player. Balikwisha hasn't played for Celtic since Martin O’Neill gave him a chance in a Scottish Cup tie in January. He has only made 14 appearances for Celtic in total, often only for part of a match. His time on the pitch in a Celtic shirt totals just 398 minutes, just under seven hours.
Celtic player’s disastrous move
Having dropped out of squad selection altogether at the club, Balikwisha chose to wipe his Instagram clear of any Celtic pictures and references. He’s largely kept out of sight at the club since then. Some would say he wasn't that visible when he played either. His performances were pretty low-key overall, and that £5m move from Royal Antwerp to Celtic has been a disaster for his career.
His 5 caps with DR Congo saw him blamed for a 1-0 defeat against Algeria in the last 16 round of the African Nations Cup. Balikwisha lost the ball, and Algeria went on to score a late winner from that. Perhaps that World Cup dream fell apart then, rather than the recent naming of their squad.
There is often talk of players getting second chances when new managers arrive. That may be the case for Balikwisha, but it does feel quite unlikely that he can rescue his Celtic career. Sometimes a move just doesn't work out for a player, and they need a fresh start elsewhere. That's surely the next step as he looks to try and reduce his career after a disastrous season.
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