Celtic star Reo Hatate has been hit with Significant TERRIBLE SAD NEWS on Friday Morning that has left the player reduced to tears

REO HATATE’S ambition of featuring for Japan at this summer’s World Cup Finals has come to an end.

The 28-year-old Celtic midfielder has been left out by national team boss Hajime Moriyaso for his 25-man squad heading to the USA.

However, teammate Daizen Maeda, who has netted seven goals in the champions’ last five matches, has been included in the selection for the Group F fixtures against the Netherlands, Tunisia and Sweden, according to The Scotsman.

Former Hoops striker Kyogo Furuhashi is also absent after a challenging season at Birmingham City which concluded early in March when it was confirmed he needed surgery on a lingering shoulder problem.

But missing out on his World Cup dream will be a significant setback for Hatate, who hasn’t played for his country since a 0-0 draw in a World Cup qualifying match against Saudi Arabia in March 2025.

The gifted playmaker, who was signed for Celtic by Ange Postecoglou in January 2022 in a triple deal that also brought Maeda and Yosuke Ideguchi to the club, also missed the global tournament in Qatar four years ago.

The former Kawasaki Frontale star has endured a difficult spell for much of a mixed campaign and has started only 19 of Celtic’s 37 league fixtures.

His most recent full start came seven matches ago in the 2-0 defeat to Dundee United at Tannadice on March 22.

Since that point, he has recorded a total of 51 minutes of game time across three substitute appearances against St Mirren, Rangers and Motherwell.

In recent matches, Martin O’Neill has opted for a midfield trio of captain Callum McGregor, 21-goal Benjamin Nygren and £11million Arne Engels, and it now seems the best Hatate can hope for in tomorrow’s title decider against Hearts is a spot among the standby squad.