Josip Juranovic took a moment from celebrating Croatia's World Cup success to revel in Celtic's current league standing.
The in-demand defender, whose time at Parkhead could be limited due to increased transfer interest, has produced a stellar World Cup showing in Qatar. Juranovic has turned heads with his performances against the likes of Brazil's top stars in Neymar and Vinicius Jnr, which serves only to turn the heat up on a potential exit from Celtic Park with big guns chasing his signature.
And the 27-year-old has not been shy in revelling in the Hoops success against Aberdeen, where a late Callum McGregor strike meant the gap over Rangers at the top of the table was extended to nine points. Juranovic was an unused sub in the Croatian side's win over Morocco that sealed third place, but took a moment to reflect on his journey while also lapping up Celtic's result.
He said: "I saw that we won and now we are nine points ahead of Rangers! This medal is for all those who didn't believe in me, to whom I was a thorn in their side. Criticism like that motivates Lionel Messi too.
"I would like to thank my family, friends and my fiance's family, who always cheered me on when it was difficult. This is one of the most beautiful moments in the world, I will be in Croatian history for the rest of my life, I don't know how to describe how I feel.
"When you play with the players that Croatia have, you can only improve. I heard that Jurgen Klinsmann said that I was one of their players who he thought were a revelation at the World Cup - I thank him for his praise, but my team is responsible for that. When you play with guys like Luka Modric and Mateo Kovacic, everything is simply easier in your life. I'll enjoy this moment."
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