Will Lionel Messi sign for Aston Villa?

Mr Clark argues the impossible might just be possible

Picture the scene, a scene that has happened in numerous Elstree History and Politics classrooms at any time between 2002 and 2022. “Sir, which football team do you support?” There is silence as they await an expected answer of Arsenal, Tottenham, Chelsea, Manchester United or perhaps Liverpool. The response, however, is always proudly the same. “The mighty Aston Villa.” Strange looks follow for the class, a farrago of bewilderment and pity, as the students try to comprehend why an otherwise seemingly respectable and respected schoolmaster would put himself through so much pain and misery supporting a team of such perennial under-achievers.

It is true, that Aston Villa FC has seen more than its fair share of glory since when in March 1874, four members of Villa Cross Wesleyan Chapel Cricket team met under a gas lamp in Handsworth, Birmingham and decided on setting up a football team as their way of staying fit during the winter months. The Claret and Blues have won seven Football League titles, seven FA Cups, five League Cups and, mostly glorious of all, in 1982 after Peter Withe’s shot rebounded off the post and into the goal in Rotterdam to defeat Bayern Munich, they became Champions of Europe. But for most of the 21st Century and for almost all of this author’s 23-year service in the Bourne Building, Aston Villa have been the most dozy and docile of sleeping giants.

Apart from a Intertoto Cup and a League Play-off win, there has been no silverware for the famous Birmingham club in over 25 years. Between 2011 and 2022 the Villains finished no higher than 11th in Premier League. In 2015-16 the club finished last in the Premier League and were relegated after only winning three games. They only regained promoted to the top flight after three seasons in the Championship. However, fortunes have changed for Aston Villa Football Club most dramatically in 2023. Villa is set to finish in Premier League top ten and at the time of writing face the possibility of European football in 2023-24. And on the morning I’m writing this, there are reports that the most iconic player on the planet may be coming to Villa Park next season. If some rumours are to be believed, deep bonds were formed between

Argentine goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez and legendary Argentine Captain Lionel Messi during their nation’s successful 2022 Qatar World Cup campaign. The Albiceleste goalkeeper played a key role in leading his country to World Cup glory. Martínez saved two penalties in a shoot-out a quarter-final shoot-out against the Netherlands. In the World Cup Final, Martínez saved a 1 on 1 shot from with Randal Kolo Muani in the last minute of extra time, then save saved a penalty from Kingsley Coman in the shoot-out, helping Argentina win the World Cup via a 4–2 shootout victory after the game had ended in a 3–3 draw. Martínez was awarded the Golden Gloves prize. He marked the occasion with a now infamous celebration which involved him putting the Golden Glove trophy against his groin and making an unusual facial expression. Lionel Messi celebrated his own award of Player of the Tournament in a much, more sober and conventional manner.

The two stars have had a contrasting relationships with their respective clubs since Qatar. Under manager Unai Emery, Emiliano Martínez has been at the heart of an Aston Villa revival that has seen the team go from 16th in the table under previous manager Steven Gerrard to 7th. Martinez has kept clean sheets in this time against Everton, Crystal Palace, Bournemouth, Chelsea, Nottingham Forest, Newcastle and Fulham. In January the goalkeeper, the Villa Vice Captain, signed a three-year contract extension which will see him contracted Villa until the end of the 2026–27 season. Martínez has said “Why should I leave? It’s massive, the club. I’m proud to play for Aston Villa, I’m really proud, I love it here, I’m trying to bring my Argentinian friends to Villa! I just feel at home.”

Meanwhile, Lionel Messi, often seen as the greatest player of all-time, the winner of seven Ballon d’Or awards and a record six European Golden Shoes, has fallen out of love with Paris Saint-Germain. Whilst he has won another Ligue 1 title, scored his 700th senior career club goal in La Classique against Marseilles and achieved his 300th career assist, Messi has clearly found life at PSG frustrating. On 2 May 2023, Messi was suspended for two weeks and fined after taking an unauthorized trip to Saudi Arabia with his family as part of a promotional commercial agreement. The next day, it was widely reported that Messi would leave PSG at the end of the season, following the expiry of his contract. The assumption has been that Messi would join a club in Saudi Arabia like his longterm rival Cristiano Ronaldo or an emotional return to FC Barcelona with whom he won a club-record 34 trophies, including ten La Liga titles and the UEFA Champions League four times. However, Emiliano Martinez has raised directly the possibility of his friend and Argentine national teammate joining Aston

Villa. Martinez told a recent media conference: “If Leo is whistled and leaves PSG, I will bring him to Aston Villa. I would make him matte tea and cook for him every weekend, ask people to make him little flags to have a good time. I’m ready to reduce my salary for Messi if necessary.”

So is the Greatest Of All Time about to join Aston Villa? Will he soon be preparing for next season alongside Tyrone Mings, Douglas Luiz and Jacob Ramsey at Villa’s Bodymoor Heath training ground? Football is about dreams and fans of Aston Villa and other clubs can dream away. But this suggested transfer would seem highly unlikely. So far in his career, Messi has turned down many numerous attempts to lure him to the Premier League, including a trial at Arsenal in 2003. If he was to play for an English club, a reunion with his former mentor Pep Guardiola at Manchester City or joining newly minted Newcastle United would seem more likely than hooking up with a Midlands club with a reputation for under-achieving. There are clearly big money deals on the table for Messi from clubs in Saudi Arabia, China or the United States. Some of the figures quoted are frankly eye-watering.

Personally, as a soppy old football romantic, I hope that Leo Messi resists these lures and brings down his distinguished career by returning to his roots. I’d like to think that football is still about something more than just getting as rich as you can as quickly as you can. A return to FC Barcelona would give Messi the chance to wow again the loyal fans at Nou Camp who cheered him on for so long and to pass on his considerable football wisdom to a new generation of talent at Barcelona’s legendary youth academy, La Masia, which Messi joined when he was just 13 years old. Or going even further back, how about a return to Messi’s boyhood club in his hometown of Rosario, Newell’s Old Boys? Messi is unusual about Argentine football legend in never having played a single game for an Argentine Primera División, What better way would there be of rewarding his compatriots loyalty and faith?

And anyway, even if Messi did join Aston Villa, he’d be joining the one club whose fans know that the Greatest Football of All-Time will always be Republic of Ireland defender Paul McGrath.