Aston Villa captain John McGinn approaches a significant milestone with his 300th appearance for the club, but his focus remains fixed on the future and the constant battle to retain his place. The Scottish international, now 31, speaks candidly about the pressures of longevity in the modern game.
“Every single season, you feel you have something to prove,” McGinn admits. “When you get older, each birthday can feel a bit miserable. You know there’s always a younger player, a new signing with a bigger price tag, someone seen as the next exciting thing. That challenge never goes away. It just makes you more determined to show your value.”
This determination has led him to make significant investments in his own performance. He now employs a personal chef, a decision he initially found awkward given his humble upbringing in Clydebank. “There’s a bit of a stigma, I get that. I was more nervous telling my family than actually doing it,” he confesses. “But it’s an investment. Without that structure, I’d be tempted by less disciplined choices. It keeps me in the best possible condition.”
His commitment was tested during a gruelling pre-season boot camp in the Arizona desert, an experience he describes as being “absolutely beasted” in 45-degree heat. He credits that work for returning in peak physical shape, a necessity in an increasingly athletic Premier League. “I’ll never be the fastest or the strongest, but I want to give myself the best chance,” he states.
McGinn’s importance to Villa is unquestioned, a status solidified by manager Unai Emery. He recalls a pivotal, nerve-wracking first meeting where Emery bluntly assessed a poor run of form before revealing his long-term faith. “He judged with his eyes and believed I could be an asset. Keeping me as captain meant a huge amount. He’s been incredible, and I want to repay that trust.”
That repayment, he believes, will come in the form of silverware. McGinn is driven by the memory of recent near-misses—a Carabao Cup final loss, a Europa Conference League semi-final exit, and last season’s Champions League quarter-final defeat. “They were big nights where we didn’t deliver,” he says with frankness. “There’s a determination now to prove this team we’ve built is worth more than just a quarter-final or semi-final. I can feel that hunger. Until we win something, there will always be questions.”
With Villa targeting success in the Europa League and Scotland aiming to end a long World Cup qualification drought, McGinn’s motivation burns as brightly as ever. “It’s been an amazing journey, but everyone knows what would eclipse it all,” he says, referencing the club’s three-decade wait for a major trophy. “If it takes me until I’m 37 or 38, I’m so determined for that to happen. The best, I believe, is still to come.”