“Desperate to Make an Impact”: Balikwisha’s First Big Moment at Celtic – and Why It’s Just the Beginning
By all accounts, Michel-Ange Balikwisha’s start to life in Glasgow hasn’t been a fairytale. When the Belgian winger arrived at Celtic Park in the summer, expectations were quietly high. A £5 million signing, brought in under the guidance of Brendan Rodgers, Balikwisha came with a reputation for flair, pace, and technical finesse — exactly the kind of profile Celtic fans love in a winger.
But football isn’t always a game that hands you instant gratification.
There were flashes. Moments in training. Glimpses in cameos. But until the dramatic 1-0 victory over Motherwell, the 22-year-old hadn’t quite had his moment. That changed in the dying embers of a tense match at Celtic Park — when the clock was ticking down, the breakthrough refused to come, and Rodgers looked to his bench.
Balikwisha was ready.
And in one crucial moment — a surging run, a pinpoint cross, and Daizen Maeda meeting the delivery to power home a dramatic winner — he not only changed the result of the match, but possibly the course of his own Celtic journey.
The Long Road to a Short Moment
It’s easy to overlook just how much goes on behind the scenes when a player moves countries, changes clubs, and takes on a new challenge in a completely different footballing culture.
For Balikwisha, the move from Royal Antwerp to Celtic was more than just a career switch — it was a total life shift. One minute he was a young star in Belgium’s top tier, playing in his home country, speaking his language, surrounded by familiarity. The next, he was in Glasgow, living in a hotel, adjusting to new surroundings, a new language, new teammates, new tactics, and the ever-demanding eyes of one of football’s most passionate fanbases.
“As the gaffer said, it was not easy at the beginning,” Balikwisha told Celtic TV. “I was staying in the hotel, everything was new, and it took time to adapt.”
He credits the coaching staff and his teammates for helping him through the transition — both on and off the pitch. Slowly, routines began to form. His surroundings became more familiar. And then came the intensity.
“The Training Is on Another Level”
In modern football, matches are just the tip of the iceberg. What happens in training is often more revealing — it’s where trust is earned, development happens, and matchday readiness is built.
And for Balikwisha, the training at Lennoxtown was a step up.
“The sessions are more intense here than where I came from,” he explained. “I had to adapt. But I’m training hard every day, and now everything is fine. I hope it continues every day to help the team.”
Rodgers is known for his detail-oriented approach, his tactical discipline, and his demands for intensity. It’s a setup that can be daunting for a new arrival, especially one stepping into a side with high expectations and a relentless fixture list.
But Balikwisha has embraced it.
Where some may have shrunk in the face of the demands, he saw it as a challenge. A platform to grow. A chance to become more than just a prospect — but a key player in one of Europe’s most historic clubs.
The Motherwell Moment
Celtic’s match against Motherwell looked like it might end in frustration. The team had controlled possession and pressed high, but lacked the final ball. The fans, vocal as ever, were urging the players forward. Something — or someone — had to break the deadlock.
Enter Balikwisha.
“After a good week of training with a positive mindset and confidence, when the gaffer called me on the touchline I was desperate to come on and help the team to win the game,” he said.
Desperation, in football, can be a powerful thing — not in the negative sense of panic, but in the drive to make a difference. Balikwisha brought that with him onto the pitch, and it showed.
Late in the match, with space opening up and defenders tiring, he received the ball in a dangerous area. What followed was instinctive. A smart run. A low drive down the left. A perfectly placed cross, delivered with his left foot, that found Maeda. The Japanese forward rose and delivered the winner. Paradise erupted.
“God has shown me mercy and I played free. Arne found me in the space and I crossed it left foot for Daizen who finished it well,” Balikwisha recalled.
“It was an incredible feeling with the noise of the fans and, for me, it was as if I had scored.”
You could see it in his celebration — a mix of joy, relief, and perhaps a sense of validation. He had arrived. Not just in terms of geography, but in the hearts of the fans.
A Player Who Can Grow with Celtic
Balikwisha’s talent was never in doubt. He had shown it at Antwerp, particularly during their Belgian title run, and even had minutes in European competition. But Celtic is a different animal — a club with pressure, history, and a weekly expectation to win, and win in style.
Now that the initial teething phase is behind him, there’s a growing sense that the best is yet to come.
He brings something different to Celtic’s attack — a natural width, direct dribbling, and a willingness to take defenders on. He has two strong feet, good balance, and an eye for a pass in the final third. But what fans will now be watching for is consistency — those flashes turning into full matches, those cameos turning into starts.
And that’s exactly what Balikwisha is aiming for.
“It’s time now to show what I can do,” he said. “I want to give everything for this club and for the fans who have welcomed me.”
What Comes Next
After the international break, Celtic face a busy schedule, with matches in the league, domestic cups, and Europe. Depth in the squad will be crucial, and Balikwisha will have opportunities — whether from the start or off the bench — to build on his moment against Motherwell.
Rodgers, too, will likely be encouraged. He’s spoken in the past about trusting young players once they show the right mentality in training. Balikwisha seems to have passed that test — and the reward could be more minutes, and more impact.
Celtic’s next match comes against Dundee, a fixture that could offer the perfect platform for Balikwisha to earn his first start since arriving in the summer. And with confidence high, fans may finally be about to see the player they were promised.
The Bigger Picture
In many ways, Balikwisha’s story is one every footballer faces — new club, new league, new culture — but in the intense world of Celtic, everything is magnified.
What matters now is momentum. And after his crucial assist, Balikwisha isn’t just part of the squad. He’s part of the story.
In a season where every point matters, where the smallest moments can define championships, his contribution against Motherwell wasn’t just timely — it was telling.
For the fans, it was a welcome sight. For Rodgers, it was vindication of the club’s scouting and recruitment. And for Balikwisha himself, it was confirmation: I belong here.
If that cross to Maeda was just the beginning, Celtic may have uncovered yet another gem in green and white.