'Win the Premier League & the Champions League' - Lionel Messi transfer claim as Argentine GOAT is backed to grace 2030 World Cup at 43 years of age

'Win the Premier League & the Champions League' - Lionel Messi transfer claim as Argentine GOAT is backed to grace 2030 World Cup at 43 years of age

Published Jun. 23, 2026 4:04 p.m. ET
GOAL

Aston Villa transfer claim

Speaking on the

Aston Villa have impressed recently, but Agbonlahor believes Messi would take them to the ultimate pinnacle in English football. Agbonlahor said: "Messi. I think Villa would win the Premier League." He then confidently added: "If Aston Villa sign Messi, Aston Villa win the Premier League and Champions League." The remarkable claims come after Messi enjoyed a sensational start to the current tournament in North America.

Record-breaking World Cup start

Messi became the oldest player to score a World Cup hat-trick when he fired a treble in an opening

Agbonlahor urged fans to appreciate him, stating: "I went to the Argentina-Mexico game in a Qatar World Cup game, I had nosebleed seats, but Argentinian fans everywhere. And it felt like you're in [the] company of a God, you felt the fans, it feels like you're in a 90-minute concert. A 90-minute Messi concert and it's one of the best concerts you'll ever go to."

2030 World Cup prediction

While many expect this current tournament to be the final chapter in the international career of Messi, Agbonlahor strongly disagrees. Messi turns 39 on Wednesday, but his continued ability to dictate matches suggests he could prolong his playing days even further.

Discussing the long-term future of Messi, Agbonlahor stated his firm belief that Messi will still be competing when the

What is next for Argentina?

Argentina will conclude their group stage campaign against Jordan on Saturday. Jordan have lost both of their opening games against Austria and Algeria. Having already secured the top spot, Argentina can now comfortably rotate their squad. In the round-of-32, Argentina will play the runners-up of Group H, which features Spain, Uruguay, Cabo Verde and Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, Messi will look to maintain his incredible goalscoring streak.

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