TikTok and other social media platforms seem to be a hell of a place. One has no idea about the amount of absurdity one’s gonna take in, on a given day. Especially with the growth of AI and deepfakes everything is possible, and that possibility is sometimes a bit scary.
In a recent video, two gentlemen are seen discussing which is the bigger club between Celtic and Rangers, a common moot point among Scottish people. However, in this case, none of them are Scottish, but Americans.
Joe Biden, the current US President, and his former superior, the 44th US President, Barack Obama, seem to be at loggerheads with each other. Which is the bigger club? Celtic or Rangers? Seems to be the reason for this predicament the two democrats are facing.
These are not only the two high-profile men enunciating their interest in the Scottish league, as another US President, Donald Trump, and right-wing political analyst Ben Shapiro also make surprise entries, although for a minimal time.
Maybe the most high-profile football-related debate ever witnessed on social media.
No, nothing to be serious about, whatever I said is fake, or to be precise, deepfake. The Tik Tok video that is being circulated on various other social media platforms is nothing but AI-generated video, with fake voice modulation.
However, the debate has got us interested. So, we thought if we can decide which one of the two teams is actually bigger. By the way, Trump and Shapiro, pitched for Aberdeen and Hibernian Fc respectively, and sorry to them both, they are not in the running.
So, Biden is team Celtic, and Obama is Rangers. They have raised some key points, such as the Champions League, the Scottish League, and club mismanagement issues, and all these points will play a key part in the winners’ criteria.
So first and foremost, the Champions League, the most prestigious honor in European football, possibly world football. Celtic 1, Rangers. Celtic is a clear winner, however, they won it back in 1966-67, when it was called the European Cup. They also went to the finals of the 1970 European Cup Final, losing 2-1 against Feyenoord.
Just a little trivia, Celtic is the first British club to win the treble, back in the 66-67 season, arguably their greatest-ever season. Whereas Rangers
Secondly, we take into account the Scottish League, the Scottish Cup, and the Scottish League Cup. Now this is going to be difficult.
Celtic is one of just five clubs in history to have won more than 100 trophies. The team has won the Scottish League Championship 53 times, the most recent of which was in 2022-23, the Scottish Cup 41 times, and the Scottish League Cup 21 times.
Rangers on the other hand have won more Scottish League Championship (55), 2 more than Celtic, more Scottish League Cup (27), and the Scottish Cup 34 times. They also won the Domestic Treble on seven occasions.
🗓️ #OnThisDay 1️⃣8️⃣9️⃣0️⃣ : #Rangers begin the 1st ever Scottish League Campaign with a 5-2 win over Hearts at Ibrox. Our 1st League goal came from a Hearts OG by Jimmy Adams. Hugh McCreadie, John McPherson & Neil Kerr (2) also scored. Rangers shared the 1st Title with Dumbarton. pic.twitter.com/AychaqeheF
Domestically, Rangers have been the bigger Club, as the Hoops only won the Scottish Cup more.
Rangers have had some financial mismanagement, as Biden pointed out, with the club going bankrupt, and eventually finding themselves in the 4th tier of the Scottish League.
Final verdict, sorry to be politically correct, both. Some might say UCL is bigger, some might say back in 66-67 it wasn’t a big deal. Rangers have domestic superiority, but they also were relegated to the 4th tier.
These are conundrums that can’t be answered. Maybe we should not have a definite answer as well. This perpetual debate of “We are bigger than you”, throwing stats and figures at each other, passionately trolling each other.
This is what club rivalry is all about, the lingering search for the bigger one. The day we have a definitive answer, one side will one, and football will lose.
