Rangers legend chose Ibrox over Celtic; Today marks the anniversary of his finest Old Firm moment.

With Sunday marking the 22nd anniversary of Rangers’ dramatic League Cup final triumph over their fierce rivals, Barry Ferguson and company may find some encouragement in history.

Ferguson led Rangers to glory at Hampden Park in 2003, helping Alex McLeish’s side complete a domestic treble.

Those glory days now seem distant, but Ferguson’s return to Ibrox in a coaching role ensures that Rangers will enter Celtic Park with a leader who understands what is required in these high-stakes encounters.

Whether Ferguson will throw his hat into the ring for the permanent managerial role remains to be seen.

However, after outwitting José Mourinho to secure a place in the Europa League quarter-finals, ending Rangers’ five-year wait for a victory at Parkhead would further bolster his credentials.

Barry Ferguson Aims to Replicate League Cup Success

“I thought his tactics were really good in the first leg against Fenerbahce in Turkiye last week,” McLeish told The Scottish Sun, acknowledging Ferguson’s strategic acumen.

“He played that way because, at the moment, Rangers don’t have enough creative players to break down defences. He’s not as fortunate as I was in that treble season in 2003!”

That much is evident. While Vaclav Cerny tormented Fenerbahce across both legs—scoring twice in Turkey and registering the most shots of any Rangers player at Ibrox—the days of having Mikel Arteta, Peter Lovenkrands, Ronald de Boer, Shota Arveladze, Michael Mols, and Claudio Caniggia in the squad are long gone.

McLeish fondly remembers the impact of that League Cup final victory in 2003.

“Winning the Treble was a fantastic achievement, and of course, lifting the League Cup that day set everything in motion for us,” he recalled.

Caniggia, the experienced Argentine forward, was the man who broke the deadlock on that fateful afternoon in March.

“Claudio’s goal was brilliant,” McLeish added. “His speed was great in reaching the loose ball in the box. It was a good finish.”

Rangers Beat Celtic to Claudio Caniggia’s Signature

Remarkably, the player who ignited Rangers’ treble-winning campaign could have ended up playing in Celtic’s green and white rather than the deep blue of Ibrox.

Back in 2001, when Caniggia was dazzling Scottish football with Dundee, his agent revealed that Celtic were closing in on a £2.5 million deal to bring the 50-cap Argentina international to Parkhead.

“The Scottish club [looking to sign Caniggia] is Celtic,” said agent Fernando Consentino at the time. “We have met just once, but they are anxious to sign Claudio. We are working to find an agreement.”

However, Caniggia ultimately chose Rangers, believing that a move to Ibrox would enhance his chances of earning a place in Marcelo Bielsa’s Argentina squad for the 2002 World Cup. The decision proved to be a masterstroke.

“The rest, as they say, is history,” McLeish reflected.

Caniggia’s Decision and the 2003 Final

In a 2018 interview with the Evening Telegraph, Caniggia himself recalled the pivotal moment.

“Let me tell you, I remember both Celtic and Rangers coming to speak to me,” he said. “I was already 33 years old, and I wanted to go to the World Cup. I did at 35 because of that decision.”

While leaving Dundee was difficult, the opportunity to play for Rangers was too good to pass up.

His choice paid off when he found himself in the right place at the right time in the League Cup final, seizing another golden opportunity.

As the ball fell to him inside the Hampden Park box, Celtic’s defence could do nothing but watch as Caniggia capitalized, sending Rangers fans into raptures.

It was a moment of instinct, composure, and precision—the kind of moment that defined his storied career.