7 hours ago
6
I wrote Aberdeen off at Hampden on Saturday. Everyone did. But this was history, the year of the underdog.
Even when no one else really did, the squad believed they would lift the Scottish Cup and that's the key to any success - belief.
Listening to the Pittodrie players post-match, they had that confidence in spite of their previous, and even recent, results against Celtic - 5-1, 5-1, 1-0 and 6-0 in their last four meetings.
This was a statement win and it really feels like a historic day. And not just for Aberdeen. For the rest of Scottish football.
To see a team outside the big two do this is an amazing moment.
Aberdeen had two days really to nail their game plan. A plan which was completely against their norm.
What followed was an incredible performance with an excellent defensive display at the heart of it. That's a difficult thing to do, particularly against this Celtic side.
I didn't expect them to limit Celtic to so few chances, but they did so comfortably.
Other than Dazien Maeda's one-v-one in stoppage time, there wasn't anything really too worrying from an Aberdeen perspective.
The belief that the players spoke about was probably built upon after that first half. Yes, Celtic had so much possession, but they weren't cutting through. The Dons were very good without the ball.
Having such foundations in place meant that when the triple substitution of Oday Dabbagh, Dante Polvara and Shayden Morris was made, Aberdeen were able to go quite brave.
Jimmy Thelin said post-match he felt his side became a bigger attacking threat as the game went on. That wasn't hard, though...
Morris is a player I've admired for a long time from when he was down at Fleetwood Town. His speed is such a threat, and Celtic got it wrong dealing with him in the build-up to the goal.
It was a brilliant move from Thelin because they asked him to do a midfield role without the ball and then be a winger with the ball.
The Swede did some something different, and it paid dividends.
It should catch the eye of the rest of Scottish football, too. Perhaps even down the road where the underdog story has been strong this season.
I have a big history with Celtic, but I'm from Aberdeen and I could only watch those trophy-lifting scenes with joy.
The Dons showed that with discipline and determination, Celtic can be stopped.
And if they had belief before, they'll have even more belief now.
Chairman Dave Cormack was speaking post-match about the finances, the income that will come from this win and the confirmation of European group stage football.
That in itself is huge. It will give the club and the fans, in addition to the players, more belief.
For now, though, it's bedlam. It's all about the partying and the celebrating, which they deserve to do.
They've created a slice of history here. And maybe it's just the start...
FA Cup winner & former Scotland international Shaun Maloney was speaking to BBC Sport Scotland's Amy Canavan
