Eoghan O’Connell, a footballer who once shared the pitch with Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk and Lionel Messi, is now lending his skills to Ryan Reynolds’ Wrexham in their quest for promotion.
The Irishman started his career at Celtic, where he rubbed shoulders with footballing greats from an early age. He made his first-team debut under Neil Lennon at just 18, after progressing through the ranks of the Scottish club’s academy.
His competitive debut came in a 1-1 draw against Ross County in the Scottish Premiership in March 2014, following a friendly win over Turkish side Trabzonspor. Despite showing promise, his time under Lennon’s successor Ronny Deila was mixed, resulting in two loan spells.
However, under Brendan Rodgers, he found more success and even faced off against eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi in a Champions League match for Celtic against Barcelona.
Reflecting on the experience, O’Connell told the Bury Times: “I was a little surprised, actually. I traveled over there but didn’t expect to be in the squad because I hadn’t been involved for a couple of weeks. We trained on the ground the night before and were taking it all in.
“I found out I was on the bench on the night and when I was called on I was surprised. It was already 5-0 by that time so it wasn’t ideal, but personally for me as a young player, looking back, it was a good experience.”
(Image: Manuel Queimadelos Alonso/Getty Images)
Not content with resting on his laurels, O’Connell spoke to the Irish Examiner about pushing his career further, insisting: “Some people have said about me ‘yeah, he’s played against Messi and Barca at the Nou Camp’ but I’m not the type to be happy with just that. I want to keep improving and pushing on in my career.”
Despite his early promise at Celtic, O’Connell left the club in June 2017 after a season of minimal game time. His journey continued through League One with Bury and included periods at Rochdale and Charlton Athletic before a pivotal move in January 2023 when he signed for Wrexham, now famously owned by Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.
With O’Connell’s help, Wrexham has achieved double promotions and looks set to continue its ascent, currently vying for another promotion from the third tier. Reflecting on former teammates who’ve influenced his growth, O’Connell credits his defensive insight to playing with Liverpool legend Virgil van Dijk during his stint at Celtic Park.
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The 29-year-old was full of praise for the Dutch defender, saying: “For me he is the best center-back in the world, an unbelievable player. When [Van Dijk] first signed for Celtic, I remember going out on to the training ground and being blown away by the size of the guy.
“He’s just a huge man. When the talk started about him leaving and he went to Southampton, I was urging him to go to Liverpool even then.”
Meanwhile, Wrexham’s push for an impressive third promotion in a row has been bolstered by O’Connell’s gritty determination, undoubtedly shaped by his early brushes with elite players like Van Dijk.
