Joe Hart and Jack Butland drive off in different directions after Celtic-Rangers journey

Celtic’s Joe Hart ended a glittering 21-year professional career by claiming his 12th domestic trophy at Hampden Park

The last time Joe Hart and Jack Butland were at Hampden Park together, they were international team-mates. Part of the England squad that played out an absorbing 2-2 draw with Scotland, few would have predicted that almost seven years later they would line-up on opposite sides of a fierce Old Firm divide.

In fact, the pair have seen their careers take almost identical pathways since being picked together as part of Fabio Capello’s England squad for Euro 2012. Both identified as the best young goalkeepers in Britain as teenagers, both found themselves viewed as the forgotten men of the English Premier League in their late 20s. Both have reinvented themselves as vital players for their respective Old Firm teams. Oh, and both were aiming to the beat the other in Saturday’s final in order to lift their second domestic trophy of the campaign.

For Hart, it was a chance to bring down the curtain on his time as a professional with a 12th domestic trophy of his career. For Butland, it was an chance to prove those who claimed he was the best goalkeeper in the Scottish top tier right, while also ending his debut season with Rangers on a deserved high.

In many ways, it felt like this weekend’s final was destined to be a tale of two No 1s as, for once in the goalkeepers’ eerily aligned careers, something had to give between them. And it did. Sadly for Rangers’ player of the year, it came in the shape of a cruel ending to a fantastic first season in royal blue. Spilling Paulo Bernardo’s long-range drive, his rare error allowed the on-rushing Adam Idah to tap home in the 90th minute and crush the Gers’ hope of a domestic double and claim a much-needed victory over their biggest rivals.

Gers boss Philippe Clement refused to place any blame on his man in the aftermath of the clash - and rightly so. For a player who has stood tall for Rangers throughout the campaign, the moment felt exceptionally cruel. “It is a really difficult shot,” said Clement. “Jack was really good in the rest of the game. And Joe Hart was also really good. I think you can always discuss details and say he should have pushed the ball to the side but it was an unlucky moment.”

For the 37-year-old Hart though, it was a fairy-tale ending. A clean sheet, a domestic double and yet another medal to add to his impressive collection. A last-gasp winner to cement the Hoops’ status as the top team in Scotland was the best, and perhaps the only way, the ex-England stopper would have wanted to conclude his time in Scotland.

“I don’t know what to say,” admitted Hart following the win. “I feel like at some point a meteor is going to hit my house. Everything has just been unbelievable. I made the decision to finish a few months ago, I felt it was the right thing to do. Ultimately this is about the club being successful and people being happy. I’m just lucky that I’ve been able to piggy back on to it and ride out like that. You don’t know what you’re walking into when you first go to Celtic - in a great way. Where I was in the goalkeeping world, whether I was a good signing or not, I realised the club were not going to warm to me straight away. I had to show what I was about - I couldn’t wait to be part of it. I’ve loved it. The three years here have been beautiful.”

For two individuals so closely aligned, the emotions couldn’t have been more contrasting for both in the aftermath of Celtic’s 1-0 win. Butland stony-faced and desolate, Hart visibly emotional as he waved an emotional but happy goodbye to the Celtic faithful. Two careers that have drove almost side-by-side throughout finally veered off in different directions on Saturday.

However, while Hart has now driven off into the sunset in search of something new, Butland will hope that his Scottish Cup final moment will be no more than a speed-bump.