Top News

Former England forward Gabby Agbonlahor has claimed that Lionel Messi could lead Aston Villa to both the Premier League and Champions League titles if the Argentine superstar were to join the club. The former striker also believes that Messi, who recently became the all-time top goalscorer in World Cup history with 18 goals, will continue to play at the highest level and could feature in the 2030 World Cup at the age of 43.

Aston Villa transfer possibility

During an appearance on talkSPORT’s World Cup Breakfast show, Agbonlahor was asked which global football icon he would like to see Aston Villa sign from a list including Lionel Messi, Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappe, and Erling Haaland. Without hesitation, he chose Messi.

Aston Villa have been in strong form recently, but Agbonlahor believes that Messi’s arrival would elevate them to the summit of English football. He confidently stated: “Messi. I think Villa would win the Premier League.” He further added: “If Aston Villa sign Messi, Aston Villa win the Premier League and Champions League.” These bold remarks follow Messi’s outstanding start in the current tournament being held in North America.

Record-breaking start at the World Cup

Messi made history by becoming the oldest player ever to score a World Cup hat-trick after netting three goals in Argentina’s 3-0 opening win against Algeria. He then continued his blistering form by scoring twice in a 2-0 victory over Austria. With these performances, Messi has now found the net in six consecutive World Cup matches, taking his total to 18 goals and making him the competition’s all-time leading scorer.

Agbonlahor urged football fans to cherish the Argentine legend, saying: “I went to the Argentina-Mexico match at the Qatar World Cup. I was way up in the stands, but there were Argentinian supporters everywhere. It felt like being in the presence of a God, you could feel their energy. It’s like a 90-minute concert – a Messi concert – and it’s one of the best shows you’ll ever see.”

Prediction for the 2030 World Cup

While many believe this ongoing tournament could mark the end of Messi’s international journey, Agbonlahor disagrees. The Argentina captain turns 39 on Wednesday, yet his continued dominance on the pitch suggests he could extend his career even further.

Speaking about Messi’s long-term future, Agbonlahor expressed his conviction that the forward will still be playing when the World Cup celebrates its centenary in 2030. He said: “The fans, the whole match, I was watching yesterday, all you could hear was ‘Messi, Messi’ throughout. He’s unique... don’t be surprised, as I’ve said before, Messi will play another World Cup.”

What lies ahead for Argentina

Argentina are set to wrap up their group stage fixtures against Jordan on Saturday. Jordan have suffered defeats in their first two outings, losing to both Austria and Algeria. Having already secured first place in their group, Argentina can afford to rotate their squad. In the round-of-32, they will face the runners-up from Group H, which includes Spain, Uruguay, Cabo Verde, and Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, Messi will aim to continue his remarkable goal-scoring streak as the tournament progresses.