Aston Villa Captain Reveals How Victor Wanyama Gave Him the Confidence to Dream Big

The story of John McGinn and Celtic is one of Scottish football's great "what ifs," a transfer saga that remains a topic of discussion years later.

While McGinn now captains Aston Villa in the Premier League and is a key figure for Scotland, his journey to the top had humble beginnings.

Reflecting on his breakthrough as a teenager at St Mirren, McGinn admitted his physical conditioning was far from elite.

However, a daunting midfield battle against Celtic's powerhouse Victor Wanyama at Hampden Park proved to be a turning point, making him realise he was ready for the highest level.

Speaking on the Overlap podcast, McGinn detailed his early struggles and the moment his self-belief crystallised.

"I still wasn’t that fit when I got into the St Mirren team at 18," McGinn shared. "Craig Samson, the keeper, he used to beat me in the bleep test. Whereas now I find that easy... but back then I used to struggle. I know I run weird, but I used to run like I was dragging a shovel."

A series of injuries in the squad opened the door for his debut. "I remember my debut against Celtic; I think it was 5-0, we lost, but what a day, man! It was at St Mirren, but I got ten minutes. Managed to do pretty well, and then from there, I was involved most weeks."

The defining moment came soon after. "I remember playing against Wanyama. My fifth start, at Hampden. Absolutely bricking it," he recalled.

"That’s when I started to realise, no, I am ready to play against these players. It was a great place to learn. I learned a lot of things that help me now as a captain at St Mirren."

Celtic had signed Victor Wanyama from Belgian club Beerschot for a reported £900,000 in 2011, and the Kenyan international quickly became a dominant force in Scottish football before a successful move to the Premier League.

The two Hampden encounters McGinn referenced occurred in early 2013. The first was a memorable 3-2 victory for St Mirren over Celtic in the League Cup semi-final on January 27.

McGinn played 76 minutes for Danny Lennon's side as they secured a stunning upset against a Celtic midfield featuring Wanyama, Scott Brown, and Joe Ledley.

Just weeks later, on March 2, the teams met again at the national stadium in the Scottish Cup quarter-final.

Celtic exacted their revenge with a 2-1 win, but once again, the young McGinn found himself competing directly against Wanyama in a high-stakes encounter that would shape his career.