John McGinn has strengthened his place among Aston Villa’s modern-day legends after captaining the club to UEFA Europa League glory on Wednesday night.
The Scotland international was already a hugely popular figure at Villa Park thanks to his performances during the Championship years and his important contribution in helping the club remain in the Premier League after promotion.
McGinn famously assisted Jack Grealish’s crucial goal during Villa’s battle for survival and has remained one of the club’s most influential players throughout their rise under Unai Emery.
Now, after helping Villa win their first European trophy since 1982, the midfielder’s standing among supporters has reached another level.
The 31-year-old played a major role throughout Villa’s Europa League campaign, featuring in 12 matches including the final victory in Istanbul.
In the final itself, McGinn provided the assist for Emi Buendia’s stunning goal and produced another energetic display as Villa secured a historic triumph.
From the opening stages of the match, McGinn led by example and looked every bit the captain determined to lift the trophy at full-time.
McGinn’s Place Among Villa’s Greatest Figures
McGinn has enjoyed arguably the best season of his Aston Villa career, registering 17 goal contributions in 43 appearances across all competitions.
Against Freiburg in the final, he earned an impressive 8.0 rating from FotMob after another all-action midfield performance.
John McGinn vs Freiburg
| Statistic | Total |
|---|---|
| Minutes Played | 90 |
| Pass Accuracy | 85% |
| Ground Duels Won | 5 |
| Defensive Contributions | 2 |
| FotMob Rating | 8.0 |
The Villa captain completed 85 per cent of his passes, created two chances and won five ground duels while constantly driving the team forward.
McGinn has now made 330 appearances for Aston Villa since joining the club and has become one of the defining players of the modern era.
Many supporters now place him among the club’s all-time greats, with only legendary former captain John McGrath often viewed ahead of him in Villa folklore.
McGrath, affectionately known as “God” by supporters, made 323 appearances and won multiple trophies during his successful spell at the club.
Other iconic Villa names such as Peter Withe, Charlie Aitken and Brian Little also remain firmly established among the club’s greatest figures after contributing a combined total of more than 1,100 appearances and numerous trophies as players or managers.
McGinn’s Value Since Joining Villa
Aston Villa signed McGinn from Hibernian in August 2018 for a reported fee of just £2.8 million, a deal that has proven to be one of the club’s best investments in recent history.
Since arriving in Birmingham, the midfielder has scored 40 goals in 330 appearances, averaging a goal every 8.25 matches.
Based purely on the transfer fee, Villa have effectively paid around £70,000 per goal scored by McGinn during his time at the club.
However, his overall influence stretches far beyond statistics alone, with his leadership, work rate and connection with supporters making him one of the most important figures of Villa’s modern revival.
After helping end the club’s long wait for European silverware, McGinn’s place among Aston Villa’s legends now feels fully secure.
