Celtic outcast Michel-Ange Balikwisha missed out on the World Cup with DR Congo, and he has blamed the Hoops for his absence from the tournament.

Balikwisha arrived in Glasgow in August 2025, with Celtic paying up to £5 million after scouting him for around 18 months.

He had made 145 appearances for Royal Antwerp, racking up 47 goal contributions in the process.

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Celtic supporters were excited to see their new signing in action, but that didn’t last long.

Celts Are Here understands the agreement includes an option to make the move permanent for around £3.5 million.

Balikwisha is looking to get his career back on track, and believes his lack of opportunities at Celtic was the primary reason for DR Congo not selecting him for their squad for the 2026 World Cup.

Belgian-born Balikwisha switched international allegiances and represented DR Congo at AFCON in December 2025. They were knocked out on January 6, and Balikwisha returned to a Celtic side in dissaray after the sacking of Wilfried Nancy.

The 25-year-old felt he was “paying the price” for missing club fixtures, and made one appearance between then and the end of the season – a start against Auchinleck Talbot in the Hoops’ 2-0 win in the Scottish Cup.

“I played in AFCON with Congo”, Balikwisha told Het Nieuwsblad. “When I returned, Nancy was gone again, and Celtic started a catch-up race. Martin O’Neill didn’t want to touch his team anymore. It was as if I was paying the price for being away. I wasn’t the only one who wasn’t playing anymore.”

According to SportWitness, Balikwisha had the opportunity to go out on loan to the MLS earlier this year in a bid to gain regular minutes with the World Cup on the horizon. However, he claims the Hoops blocked the move, which he blames for the omission from his international side.

“Ultimately, Celtic refused that loan”, he continued. “I knew right away that the World Cup was out of the question.

“That hurt because I had contributed to the qualification with Congo. I could only accept it. Life doesn’t stop, you know. There will be more chances at a World Cup.”

DR Congo advanced to the Round of 32 at the tournament, where they were knocked out by England.

He failed to impress in cameo appearances in the green and white. A move away benefitted all parties, and he’s likely to depart permanently once this season ends.