Kasper Schmeichel has revealed his determination to reach the rare milestone of 1,000 professional games as he prepares for another season with Celtic. The experienced Danish keeper, currently on 903 career appearances across 12 clubs, is showing very few signs of slowing down as he looks ahead to the 2025/26 campaign.
The 39-year-old joined the Hoops last summer and has gone on to enjoy a standout season between the sticks. While Celtic missed out on silverware in the Scottish Cup final and fell short in the Champions League, Schmeichel believes the campaign has laid solid foundations for the club moving forward.
Despite being in the latter stages of his career, Schmeichel has maintained high standards and remains one of the most vocal and influential players in the dressing room. His professionalism and desire to keep competing at the highest level made him a pivotal part of Brendan Rodgers’ squad last season.
Now, with another campaign on the horizon and a century of games in sight, the goalkeeper is embracing the challenge and the pressure that comes with life at a club of Celtic’s stature.
He said: (RecordSport), “Reaching 1,000 games would be fantastic – a special milestone not many achieve.
“I don’t see limitations, only opportunities. I love what I do, look forward to training and matches, and live in the present. I don’t plan too far ahead, but right now I want to keep playing for years – unless a serious injury stops me.
“This has been one of the best seasons of my career. A new standard has been set. We lost the cup final to Aberdeen and went out of the Champions League to Bayern, despite having chances to win.
“The atmosphere in the dressing room at the Allianz showed our maturity and progress.
“Joining Celtic was the right move – I wanted pressure and a big, traditional club, and that’s exactly what I got.”
Schmeichel’s comments show exactly why he’s lasted so long in the game. Even with nearly 1,000 matches behind him, his drive to keep competing hasn’t faded, and his strong form this past season proves he’s still got plenty to offer.
This summer gives Brendan Rodgers and his staff the chance to shape the squad around proven leaders like Schmeichel. Now that he’s made his plans clear, the Dane looks set to be a key part of Celtic’s plans next season.
For Schmeichel, it’s more than just hitting a number – it’s about keeping standards high and helping the team succeed. Going by how he performed last season, the milestones will follow naturally if he keeps doing what he’s doing.
