Celtic vs Rangers: Picking a Combined XI of Scotland's Two Biggest Clubs

While Scottish football hasn't always covered itself in glory in recent years, often being left overshadowed by the quality south of the border, it's an undeniable fact that Scotland's two biggest clubs - Celtic and Rangers - have boasted some of the finest players the world has ever seen.

Admittedly, a fair few of them come from the good old days of the 1960s and 1970s, but every era of the Old Firm derby has been littered with superstars. 

With that in mind, we've decided to embark on the tricky task of selecting a greatest starting lineup, made up entirely of those who have donned the shirts of Scotland's fiercest rivals. 

Let's take a look at the best combined XI that Celtic and Rangers can produce, and remember that only some can make the cut...

GK - Ronnie Simpson (Celtic)

Despite only playing for six years at Celtic, Simpson is widely considered as the Hoops' greatest ever goalkeeper. The shot-stopper was instrumental for the Lisbon Lions - the team that won the 1967 European Cup - as well as lifting ten domestic trophies in Glasgow.

The late great shot-stopper may have been diminutive in stature but the Scotland international more than made up for it with his cat-like reflexes and confidence on the ball. You could say that Simpson began the transformation of the modern day keeper, although he did ply his trade for Celtic quite some time ago, walking out at Parkhead between 1964-70.

The Celtic legend did have Rangers blood in his family, however, with his father Jimmy captaining the Gers in the 1930s.

Honourable Mentions: Pat Bonner (Celtic), Andy Goram (Rangers)

RB - Sandy Jardine (Rangers)

Fan favourite may just be the greatest understatement of the century for Jardine, who is still utterly adored by Rangers fans to this very day. In fact, the defender was so loved by the Glasgow club that they renamed a stand after Jardine's tragic death in 2014.

And it's fairly easy to see why he holds such legendary status at Ibrox, with the right-back dedicating 17 years of his life to the Gers, while also putting in world-class performances that earned him 38 caps for Scotland at international level.

Jardine won 14 trophies in Glasgow, before eventually joining boyhood club Hearts, and made a staggering 674 appearances for the Light Blues - in which he scored 77 goals from defence.

Honourable Mentions: Danny McGrain (Celtic)

CB - Billy McNeill (Celtic)

The captain of the Lisbon Lions is unsurprisingly well established as one of the club's all-time greats and a commemorative statue depicting McNeill lifting the European Cup stands proud outside Celtic Park today.

18 years of service as a player and nine as a manger at Celtic saw McNeill win a combined 31 trophies in Glasgow, and considering the Scot was bought for just £250 back in 1957, the Hoops got a pretty good deal.

Honourable Mentions: Roy Aitken (Celtic), Terry Butcher (Rangers)

CB - John Greig (Rangers)​​

​​​Voted as the club's greatest ever Ranger, the centre-back spent his entire career with the Light Blues between 1961-78, making a remarkable 755 appearances for the club in the process.

Not only did Greig captain the Light Blues to the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in 1972 - Rangers' only ever European trophy - but he also guided the club to 15 domestic trophies, while also making 44 appearances for Scotland.

If you wanted a man with Old Firm derby experience, then Greig's the one you're after, with the Scot having featured in 74 clashes between the two sides - the second-most of any player in history.

Honourable Mentions: Richard Gough (Rangers)

LB - Tommy Gemmell (Celtic)​​

​​Despite playing left-back for the Hoops, Gemmell scored in both the 1967 and 1970 European Cup final - the first being a stunning equaliser from the edge of the box that would push Celtic towards a first European title.

The Scot was known for being a tenacious full-back, capable of both netting a screamer and clattering an opponent with a ferocious tackle within the space of minutes. Gemmell's tireless work ethic and ten years of service to the club make him a much-loved man around Parkhead.

RW - 'Jinky' Jimmy Johnstone (Celtic)

​Widely acknowledged as Celtic's greatest ever winger, 'Jinky' Johnstone was, as you may have already guessed, one of the trickiest and most dynamic wide men in Scottish football history. The 1967 Ballon d'Or nominee boasted tree trunk thighs and breakneck speed, attributes which helped him enjoy an incredibly successful 13-year career with the Bhoys.

19 trophies, 529 appearances and 135 goals later, Johnstone was voted as Celtic's greatest ever player by fans in 2002.

"I would love to have kicked Jinky, but I couldn't get near him" - ​Terry Cooper, Leeds United (1970)

Honourable Mentions: Willie Henderson (Rangers)

CM - Jim Baxter (Rangers)​​​

​​Despite not perhaps enjoying the lengthiest of careers at Ibrox, 'Slim Jim' Baxter still managed to write his name into club folklore following consistent world-beating performances with the Gers. The Scottish international won ten trophies in his first five-year spell with the club and is arguably the Light Blues' greatest attacking player of the 1960s.

Baxter was an incredibly technically-gifted individual, capable of carving open the opposition with a drop of the shoulder or a defence-splitting pass, all while exhibiting an unrivalled swagger and arrogance.

Honourable Mentions: Graeme Souness (Rangers), Bobby Murdoch (Celtic)

CM - Paul McStay (Celtic)

During McStay's 16-year career, the Scot only ever played for the Hoops and made 678 appearances for the club - including 70 against Rangers. The man is Mr. Celtic through and through.

McStay enjoyed his best ever season in 1987, winning both the league and cup, as well as putting in countless stunning performances that saw him win SPFA player of the year.

The 76-cap Scottish international is understandably adored by the Celtic Park faithful and is widely acknowledged as one of the club's greatest ever midfielders.

Honourable Mentions: Scott Brown (Celtic), Paul Gascoigne (Rangers)

LW - Davie Cooper (Rangers)​

​​When you reminisce over the great Old Firm derby goals of yesteryear, Davie Cooper's name simply must spring to mind. If you're unfamiliar with the strike in question, we implore you to check it out - after you've seen our striking partnership, of course.

During the 1979 Drybrough Cup final against Celtic, Cooper picked up the ball inside the penalty area, before chipping it over the heads of three separate onrushing players, before calmly slotting beyond the goalkeeper.

The goal was a moment of pure brilliance from Cooper and just one fine example of why the 22-cap Scotland international makes our team.

Honourable Mentions: Bobby Lennox (Celtic)

ST - Kenny Dalglish (Celtic)​

​​Despite being better known for his days on Merseyside than Glasgow, Dalglish forged his reputation as one of the greatest footballers of a generation during his time with the Hoops. The Scotsman made over 300 appearances for Celtic, scoring 167 times and dedicating eight years of his life to the club as a player.

The 1983 Ballon d'Or runner-up perhaps doesn't get the plaudits he deserves, for example if his name was 'Kennio Dalglishinho', but make no mistakes that the 102-cap Scotland international was capable of matching any of the world's other best players on his day.

Nine trophies in under nine years at Celtic Park pretty much says it all.

Honourable Mentions: Henrik Larsson (Celtic)

ST - Ally McCoist (Rangers)

Better known now for his dulcet Scottish tones in the commentary box, McCoist was comfortably one of the most clinical players in recent football history. Not only is the forward the third-highest appearance maker for the club, but he's the Light Blues' record all-time scorer with 355 goals to his name.

The attacker scored a staggering 28 hat-tricks for the Gers and has netted more than any other player in Old Firm derby matches - 27 in 55.

Simply put, McCoist was a goalscoring machine.