“Zidane and Henry Were Icons, But Nothing Touched the Magic of a European Night Against Celtic”

For most footballers, the chance to play alongside legends like Zinedine Zidane or Thierry Henry would define a career. For Gregory Coupet, the former France and Lyon goalkeeper, sharing a pitch with such icons was indeed a privilege but not the pinnacle. That honor, he says, belongs to a night in Glasgow’s East End more than two decades ago, when his Lyon side faced Celtic in the UEFA Champions League.

“I’ve played with Zidane and Henry,” Coupet recently told L’Équipe, “but facing Celtic in the Champions League was my most magical career memory.”

It was September 2003, and Lyon were reigning French champions. They were becoming a serious force in European football, filled with top-class talent like Juninho, Michael Essien, and Sidney Govou. Coupet, by then an experienced and commanding presence between the posts, was in his prime. Lyon arrived at Celtic Park brimming with confidence, having won consecutive Ligue 1 titles and beginning to believe they belonged among Europe’s elite.

What they encountered, however, was something far more powerful than talent alone. On that night in Glasgow, they came face to face with the sheer force of atmosphere and passion that defines Celtic Park on European nights. Backed by a crowd that roared from first whistle to last, Martin O’Neill’s Celtic delivered a performance full of intensity, grit, and belief.

Despite Lyon’s pedigree, they were outplayed. A first-half goal from rising star Liam Miller, followed by a clinical finish from Chris Sutton in the second, gave Celtic a famous 2–0 win. Even a penalty save by Coupet from Alan Thompson couldn’t shift the tide. The French giants were simply overwhelmed by the occasion.

“It was something I had never experienced before,” Coupet said. “The crowd was incredible every fan singing in unison, creating this sort of cathedral effect. It wasn’t just noise; it was harmony. There was no animosity, just a shared passion that lifted their team and shook us. It was magical.”

For a goalkeeper who had stood tall in some of the most intimidating arenas in Europe, including the fiery Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium in Istanbul, the acclaim for Celtic Park is high praise. Yet Coupet insists nothing else quite compares.

“I put Celtic above all,” he explained. “Fenerbahçe’s atmosphere is fierce, but what I felt at Celtic Park was spiritual. It was as though the stadium had a soul.”

Lyon would go on to recover from that defeat. When the two sides met again three months later in France, the tables turned. In a dramatic encounter, Lyon edged Celtic 3–2, with Brazilian playmaker Juninho converting a late penalty that eliminated the Scottish side from the tournament and sent the French club through to the knockout stages.

Despite the significance of that victory for Lyon, Coupet maintains that the match in Glasgow left the deeper imprint on his memory. He talks not about the scoreline, but the experience the emotion, the intensity, and the communal energy that surged through the stadium that night.

“It was one of those moments that reminds you why you love football,” he said. “Yes, we were professionals, there to do a job. But when you step into an arena like that, where every person in the crowd is fully present, fully committed—it humbles you. It reminds you that football is about people, not just players.”

Over the course of his career, Coupet collected seven Ligue 1 titles with Lyon, played at a World Cup and a European Championship with France, and had spells with Atlético Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain. He faced the best forwards in the world and performed on football’s grandest stages. Yet, for all the glory and accolades, it is that autumn night at Celtic Park that he cherishes most.

“It changed me,” Coupet said. “It reminded me of what football should be emotion, connection, and the joy of being part of something bigger than yourself. It wasn’t just a game; it was an experience I’ll carry forever.”

His words resonate with many who’ve passed through Celtic Park on a European night. Rival players, managers, and fans alike have long praised the unique atmosphere that envelops the old stadium under the floodlights. For Coupet, it transcended football it became a spiritual memory.

In an era often defined by money, marketing, and individual stardom, Coupet’s story is a reminder of what the sport can still offer. One night, one game, one place etched in memory not for what was won, but for what was felt.