What's left to say in praise of Alistair Johnston? When the end of the 2023/24 campaign marked another hugely successful season for both the club and the Canadian full-back, I'd probably have reasoned very little.

But having been impressed through his conduct during his international exploits at the ongoing Copa America, I firmly believe this is a player who embodies the core tenets of Celtic and the culture that underpins the institution. This is quite remarkable, given the fact the 25-year-old has been at the club for less than 18 months.

Signed in the January transfer window of last year in the final stretch of Ange Postecoglou's two-year tenure as Celtic manager, the right-sided defender has excelled under current boss Brendan Rodgers. Johnston already has five winner's medals to his name in green and white. He's made 62 appearances for the Parkhead side. He's scored two goals - one in each campaign he's played in - and has assisted nine times for his teammates; the latter stat reflecting his relentless and intense style of play on the ball.

Off the ball, his nine yellow cards nod to a different type of aggression that mirrors the full-back's heart-on-sleeve approach to defending, where his finesse and intelligence are backed by a rugged edge that's pitch-perfect for Scottish football. So much so, that he was trusted to make his debut in a fiercely contested 2-2 draw against Rangers at Ibrox on his debut. Talk about a baptism of fire.

READ MORE: Why Celtic's Johnston is the best right-back in Scotland

And it's not only his commitment and performances that have aligned with the Celtic support but also his blunt sense of humour.

"I'm probably the happiest whenever we score an early goal [at Celtic Park] because it's like, okay then, everyone can pipe down and the positivity can come out," Johnston joked on the Official Celtic FC Podcast when asked about the things he hears from the stands when playing so close to the touchline.

"Especially if it's 0-0 and it's 15 minutes in and I just pass the ball backwards to [Cameron Carter-Vickers] – I normally get a bit of stick!

"Sometimes the centre-mids don't understand how insulated they are, being in the middle of the pitch, we get a lot of it."

Hosted at Celtic Park in the days following the club's league and cup double triumph, the tone on this occasion was more relaxed than it might have been a few months earlier, but Johnston's introspection and self-awareness appears universal.

Both facets of the player's character have surfaced during this year's Copa America – the first instance of which was showcased when the full-back stood up against racism levied at the Canadian national team. In the wake of Canada's 2-0 defeat to Argentina on Matchday One of their Copa America schedule, Moise Bombito was targeted with racial abuse on social media.

Alongside comparative images of the country's national team pre-match line-ups between the years 2000 and 2024, one user (who describes himself as a "writer, content creator and activist") said: "So tragic. Few countries are undergoing population replacement as rapidly as Canada."

Shortly after the post was made, Johnston replied, saying: "What if I told you that myself and the other two ‘white’ players pictured here are the sons of immigrants as well? This is Canada. Our strength is in our diversity and it is what makes our country so special – not tragic."

Johnston's anti-racism and pro-immigrant stance was rightly lauded, and it's heartening to see Canada Soccer are now in the process of reporting the abuse to governing bodies CONCACAF and CONMEBOL. But, closer to home, Johnston's words struck at the heart of Celtic's own groundings. Founded by Irish immigrants in order to feed the poor and hungry of Glasgow's east end, the club has outwardly stood against racism of any kind since its inception, something reflected in its modern mantra: 'A Club Open To All'.

Demonstrable through his actions on a public level, Johnston is a man of principles and clearly isn't afraid to stand up for what is right. When this combines with all of the above in relation to how he conducts himself as a professional on and off the pitch, I can't think of a player who has embodied what Celtic stands for in such a short space of time. He is, after all, less than a year-and-a-half through the door.

Talk of players getting it at big clubs like Celtic is said to the point of cliche – I'm as guilty of saying it as any supporter or critic – but in Johnston's case, it feels truer than most. Who knows what the future holds for the 25-year-old, but if he wants to remain in this part of the world, the thought of him being a future deputy to Callum McGregor is well within the realm of possibility.

READ MORE: Ex-Celtic player Guppy's experience with Alistair Johnston

Less profound than the above example, but I felt Johnston handled the ridiculous headbutt he received playing against Peru with similar decorum. During Canada's well-contested 1-0 win over Peru, Marcos Lopez assaulted the 25-year-old on the touchline which was ultimately waved away by the referee. The Celtic full-back spoke out after the game against his lack of surprise that nothing came of the incident, but the player's underlying frustration only seemed to fuel his enduring commitment to winning games of football.

There was no play-acting, no histrionics, and no invisible card-waving from the defender – he wants the referee to handle that side of the game, and should that not happen, he wants to dust himself down and go again.

Celtic have a pretty challenging start to the Scottish Premiership in 2024/25, and there's the small matter of the re-formatted UEFA Champions League that will see us play more games in Europe within a pre-knockout round schedule that spills over into the new year by default.

Brendan Rodgers spoke enthusiastically about tangible progress in Europe when he returned to the club last summer. And if we're to do that, we need as many players like Johnston in the building as possible.