Celtic wrapped up a turbulent 2025-26 campaign with a Scottish Premiership and Scottish Cup double, while Martin O'Neill stated again that staying as manager next season remains an option. Celtic beat Hearts to the league title on the final day, then defeated Dunfermline Athletic 3-1 at Hampden Park.
The domestic double is Celtic's seventh in the last 10 seasons, underlining the club's continued dominance in Scottish football. It is also the third time Martin O'Neill has guided Celtic to both major trophies, after similar successes in 2000-01 and 2003-04 during O'Neill's earlier spell.
O'Neill, now 74, has hinted several times that continuing into the 2026-27 season is possible, and repeated that stance after the Scottish Cup final. O'Neill spoke
openly about age, energy and motivation, but stressed that desire for competition and trophies remains central to O'Neill's outlook.
Speaking to BBC Scotland at Hampden Park, O'Neill said: "If the season was to start tomorrow, I couldn't do it, but the season doesn't start tomorrow. The Scottish season does start quickly though, and I'm getting old! What I have is a passion for the game. I don't think that will ever leave me, even in my final days. That's always been me. I have a desire to win. I've done the learning in the last three or four months. Some tactics I saw befuddled me, but I'm learning. It's good at my age. "
This double seemed improbable at several stages of the campaign. Brendan Rodgers resigned in October after an explosive departure, which forced Celtic into a rapid reshuffle. O'Neill initially stepped in as interim head coach, but Wilfried Nancy then took over and endured a damaging run before dismissal.
Nancy lost six of eight matches in charge, including the League Cup final against St. Mirren, increasing pressure on the squad and board. After that period, Celtic turned again to O'Neill, whose second stint of the season steadied form and ultimately produced both the league and Scottish Cup trophies.
Celtic Scottish Cup run and Dunfermline’s challenge against Celtic
Dunfermline Athletic, from the second tier, faced a demanding route to the Scottish Cup showpiece. Dunfermline knocked out Aberdeen and Falkirk, both Premiership sides, to reach Hampden Park. Neil Lennon, a former Celtic manager and four-time Scottish Cup winner, guided Dunfermline into the final against the champions.
Lennon accepted that Celtic’s greater quality decided the contest, while praising Dunfermline’s campaign. Lennon said: "The better team won. Quality counts and I think that was the difference today. We're a Championship team and we have moved mountains this season. It was just one mountain too many for us. "
The scale of Celtic's domestic success in recent years is clear from the pattern of doubles secured. O'Neill's three doubles cover both historical and current eras, marking Celtic's ability to compete for multiple trophies across different squads and league landscapes.
| Season | Manager | Major Honours |
|---|---|---|
| 2000-01 | Martin O'Neill | Scottish Premiership and Scottish Cup double |
| 2003-04 | Martin O'Neill | Scottish Premiership and Scottish Cup double |
| 2025-26 | Martin O'Neill | Scottish Premiership and Scottish Cup double |
Martin ONeill! Martin ONeill! #CelticFCpic.twitter.com/xxyz7Ym5HECeltic Football Club (@CelticFC) May 23, 2026
Questions remain about O'Neill's long-term role, and discussions with Celtic’s hierarchy are still pending. Asked whether talks had followed the Premiership success, O'Neill said: "There were no discussions about that at all. Next week I might get to speak to the owner. "
O'Neill underlined that any immediate return after a short break would be difficult, while also acknowledging majority owner Dermot Desmond’s influence. O'Neill said: "If you're asking me whether I could step in after a three-day holiday, I wouldn't have that about me. [Majority owner] Dermot Desmond brought me back in the first place, I owe him a great deal, otherwise I wouldn't be here. "
Celtic now move into the close season with a double secured but key decisions ahead, particularly around the head coach position. O'Neill has left the door open for another campaign, while Celtic’s board weighs continuity against change after a season that delivered trophies despite major instability.
