Pierre van Hooijdonk has declared the Old Firm clash between Celtic and Rangers as the most intense football rivalry in the world, recounting some of the shocking experiences he endured during his time at Celtic.
The retired Dutch striker enjoyed a prolific yet controversial two-year stint with the Hoops from 1995, scoring 52 goals in 84 appearances.
However, his departure to Nottingham Forest in a £4.5 million transfer left a sour taste for many fans.
In a recent interview in the Netherlands, the 55-year-old revisited claims he first made seven years ago about the dangers he faced while living in Glasgow.
He explained: “Ajax v Feyenoord is a big match, but the Old Firm is more intense. In my second season in Scotland, I received an envelope at home with razor blades in it. Nowadays, they would go to the police with it.
“And I was at a red light in my car. Suddenly a door was pulled open by a guy. Rangers fan, apparently. He cursed me and spat on me. I had my seatbelt on, I couldn’t do anything before he ran away. I played in Fenerbahce against Galatasaray and that was tough – but Celtic v Rangers goes a bit further in every way than all the other matches I’ve experienced. It’s deeper in the culture. There’s so much history surrounding it.
“That match is also about faith. About Ireland, where the founders of Celtic came from, against England. When I was in Scotland, the battles in Northern Ireland were still going on and you often saw protest marches in the news. The Catholics flew the Celtic flag, the Protestants those of Rangers. It goes beyond football.”
Van Hooijdonk’s reflections underscore the unique and often combustible nature of the Old Firm derby, a rivalry rooted in deep cultural, religious, and political divides.
For him, the intensity of the fixture, both on and off the pitch, set it apart from any other match he experienced during a career that spanned several countries and rivalries.
