Celtic right-back Alistair Johnston experienced a heart-stopping moment of panic when his phone was flooded with messages.
Fearing the worst, Johnston was stunned to discover that the messages carried incredible news—he had been nominated for FIFA’s Best XI for 2024.
The Canadian international, who has had a stellar year for both club and country, now finds himself among the elite nominees for a place in the world governing body’s Team of the Year, which will be revealed at a prestigious ceremony in January.
Johnston’s whirlwind experience began with unexpected messages from family members and friends.
Describing the moment, the 26-year-old admitted he was gripped by anxiety before realising what the buzz was all about:
“My aunts, uncles. I thought ‘what in the world’s going on?’ I thought something had happened. And obviously you think the worst,” he told RecordSport.
“You’re waking up and you click on a photo and then you see, oh, you’re on a long list for a Best Eleven. And you’re like, ‘okay, well that was…’ the heartbeat slowed down a little bit there because I was actually fearing the worst!’.
“But no, it’s a weird thing. You would think that maybe they’d call your agent and pass it through the grapevine a little bit. But no, it’s right on social media. And that’s how you kind of find out. It’s funny. It’s a great accolade.
“It was something I wasn’t expecting but obviously a pleasant surprise. You look at the list of players that are on that, it’s a pretty special list.
“To think that I’m even a name that was thought of for that was obviously a nice honour for myself. And again, you don’t really play for the personal awards. Obviously, we always play for the trophies in the team aspect.
“So this is one that I think is more important for my dad and my family back home. He’ll be probably dropping that one on trivia night at the pub!
“So, it’s good that he’ll have that one in the back pocket. But yeah, it was a pretty cool thing to wake up to one morning to see that. It was a very good calendar year for myself. Both off the field and on the field. So no, it is nice to get some recognition for that.”
Johnston’s nomination places him among some of the most accomplished defenders in world football, including Ruben Dias of Manchester City, Mats Hummels of Borussia Dortmund, and Gabriel of Arsenal.
Johnston’s nomination is the culmination of a remarkable 2024, marked by consistent performances for Celtic and standout displays on the international stage for Canada. His tireless work ethic, defensive solidity, and leadership qualities have made him a pivotal figure at Parkhead. Since his arrival from CF Montréal in December 2022, Johnston has seamlessly adapted to life in Glasgow, winning over fans with his pure passion and quality.
