There is perhaps no greater example of the toil and sacrifice that had to be made for Brendan Rodgers’ Celtic side to secure their place in the annals of Scottish football history than the resurgence of Dedryck Boyata.

While out of the team and seemingly out of the picture at Parkhead at the beginning of the season, the big defender famously knuckled down to a punishing fitness regime, including a 1am workout at Lennoxtown, to force his way back into his manager’s plans.

Since he succeeded in doing just that around the turn of the year, he hasn’t looked back, and again took his place at the heart of the Celtic defence alongside Jozo Simunovic as the Hoops secured the Scottish Cup in Saturday’s gripping final.

His dedication and his willingness to invest in his own improvement as a player were undoubtedly major factors behind working his way into his manager’s favour, even if Rodgers didn’t quite believe his tale of training into the wee small hours at first.

“I came into the training ground at 11pm, but only because I live 10 minutes away,” Boyata said. “I had a late session and I was there until one. It’s unbelievable, but it’s true!

“We played a game at three and I was on the bench and didn’t play, so I came home about seven, had food, and then I went to the training ground.

“I had to do it because I wasn’t fit enough, and when you don’t play you need to get your fitness. I had a day off the day after as well, so I took the chance I just wanted to work hard for the manager.

“The members of staff didn’t know, they only found out when I had an interview and I told them.

“But I’ve been working very hard and trying to do what the manager has been asking me to, and it has been great.

“At the training ground, there is always a guy there 24 hours a day doing security. It wasn’t the first time, so even though this was late, he knew I liked to do it.

“You just come in, ring the bell, and he turns the light on for you until you’re finished.

“Even when I told the story, the backroom staff went and found the security guy to see if I was telling the truth! They write everything down so there you go.”

Boyata, even more than most, can look back on what he and his team have achieved this season with a genuine sense of pride. After the final whistle blew on their remarkable campaign on Saturday evening, he knew it had all been worth it.

“It feels great to have done this, it wasn’t an easy game,” he said.

“When I joined this great team, we tried to win everything that was possible. The games are always hard but to be in this position – unbeaten all season – is unbelievable.

“If someone had spoken to me six months ago then I couldn’t have seen myself in this position. It’s a great win for myself and the team. I’ve worked so hard to be in this position and it’s a great feeling.”

Perhaps the secret as to how Brendan Rodgers has wrung every last drop possible from largely the same group of players who turned the punters off under Ronny Deila, is the way that he keeps driving improvement even from those who may seem out of the picture.

According to Boyata, even players who are not in his immediate plans are made to feel a part of things, and are given the same attention and incentive to keep working hard as anyone else in the group.

“For myself, [the manager] was very special,” he said. “I started the season with my injury and mentally it was very hard, you could feel it and even in the way I was playing you could see I wasn’t right.

“I had a conversation with him and he actually helped me to bring out the best of my game, and I’ve been improving day after day. He has been unbelievable for me.”

Of course, given the financial disparity that exists between Celtic and their opponents in Scottish football, there will be those who question the magnitude of their achievement in remaining unbeaten domestically this season.

But there is no doubt in Boyata’s mind, as someone who has been at the centre of that effort, that it has been far from a walk in the park.

“If people don’t think it’s a big achievement…it’s a lot harder than it looks,” he said. “We’ve worked very hard to get ourselves into this position.

“People can say it’s easy but, having been part of it, I can tell them that it’s very, very difficult. It’s a great achievement for every player.”

But there is little time to reflect at Celtic these days. As Boyata has come to expect working under Rodgers, the sights are very quickly being set on the next goal – qualification for the Champions League group stages for the second season in a row.

“European football is a real target for any player,” he said. “Playing in the Champions League is a dream for every young player and I think we’ll keep improving, day after day, game after game.

“We have all the qualities to get there and challenge any team. We know there are big teams in there but we know we can do well.”