Passion of Celtic's award-winning fans remains a thing of unique beauty in sport

It is almost 30 years since the late Tommy Burns celebrated Celtic’s double-winning centenary season by paying an emotional tribute to the Glasgow club’s vast army of followers.

Two late goals from Frank McAvennie earned Celtic a 2-1 win over Dundee United in the 1988 Scottish Cup final after Kevin Gallacher had threatened to deflate the party. It added the Scottish Cup to their Premier Division success under Billy McNeill, the club's European Cup-winning captain of 1967.

Burns, a player who would later follow McNeill as manager, was in little doubt about who dragged his side over the winning line at the old Hampden Park.

“That is what is so special about them,” said Burns pointing to a sea of emerald green and white scarves. "They are there, and they are always there. And God Bless every one of them.

“They are absolutely incredible. We’ve got this lot behind us, and it is one hell of a mountain to come here to beat this lot as well.”

Nothing much has changed in the three decades since Tommy’s tribute. Apart from the fact they hand out awards to honour such passionate support these days.

The FIFA fan award is the third Celtic have received from football’s main governing bodies over the past 14 years. The first two Fair Play awards were doled out by UEFA and FIFA to salute the conduct of around 80,000 travelling supporters during the 2003 UEFA Cup final in Seville; the latest one in recognition of their giant tifo display to honour the Lisbon Lions in May, Celtic’s all-Scottish and all-conquering European champions born within 30 miles of Celtic Park.

On the day when Celtic fans were recognised by FIFA as a group of folk worth recognising, plenty of detractors were willing to lament the achievement. That is nothing new in Scotland where a few rabid sorts usually have to recoil from sinking too deep into platitudes in case they offend their readership.

You have to look outside their native land to see how Celtic are viewed.

Bayern Munich revelled in Celtic’s visit to their city in the Champions League last week because of the good-natured behaviour of the travelling support, and more importantly the amount of money they sunk into the local economy.

Florian Bogner, Eurosport's Munich-based journalist, admitted the locals were pleased with the visit of Celtic's fans.

While Celtic were being given a going over by Bayern in the Champions League, their fans continued to sing and support their team. It is a unique phenomenon in the modern game.

Yet some reports were more concerned by the rubbish that was left after the party in Marienplatz Square to ignore a lack of bins in the vicinity.

There has been a dearth of publicity surrounding the Celtic support’s £175,000 contribution to those suffering in Palestine, but plenty about UEFA’s decision to fine them £8,615 for flying the Palestinian flag.

The litany of UEFA fines they have received over the years for various misdemeanours do not suddenly make Celtic’s support troublesome.

UEFA fines are just a way for the European game’s governing body to tot up money. Far too much stock is placed on these fines and what they represent.

One guy leapt onto the pitch to confront the PSG forward Kylian Mbappe last month, but a huge support should not be condemned by the actions of an idiot.

There may be a few more loose cannons following Celtic than in Seville, but these are a sign of the times.

There is no group of fans blameless especially at such a large club, but there is little doubt that Celtic possess a unique supporter group. The charity work carried out by the much-debated ultras group the Green Brigade often goes unhighlighted.

Celtic fans have a reputation that is as lofty as the club's feats. They have a ground that contains an atmosphere that is second to none.

Celtic Park enjoys the most electric environs in European football by some distance. On a Champions League night, perhaps only La Bombonera in Buenos Aires can touch it around the globe.

And now they have an award to go with it. It is one for the club’s fans. And outside of Scotland, it is an accepted wisdom that Celtic’s fans are respectful, travel well, enjoy a party and support their team with a healthy attitude win, lose or draw.

The thought will be enough to make some critics vomit, but Celtic fans being dubbed the world’s best by FIFA is about as surprising as Cristiano Ronaldo winning the gong for the game’s best player.