John McGinn in brilliant two-word Hibs message after Aston Villa glory as Easter Road jibe turned on its head

John McGinn has sent a brilliant two-word message to Hibs after clinching Europa League glory with Aston Villa on Wednesday.

The Scotland international will head to the World Cup with Steve Clarke’s side this summer as a European cup-winning captain after Unai Emery’s side defeated Freiburg 3-0 in Istanbul. McGinn has returned to Birmingham a hero after lifting the club’s first European trophy in 44 years, coming a decade on from winning the Scottish Cup at Hibs.

McGinn is a legend in Leith and has cemented similar status at Villa after joining them in 2018 from Easter Road, aiding their rise back to the Premier League, Champions League and now continental glory. A usual quip that has dogged Hibs when they’ve been unable to get big games over the line is ‘Hibsed it’ but the former midfielder has flipped that on its head.

John McGinn sends message to Hibs

After the Premiership club congratulated the midfielder on his latest triumph via X, with a throwback to 2016, McGinn brilliantly replied ‘Hibsd it!!’ He added in a separate post: “Wow.. no words to describe how I’m feeling right now. What a journey we have been on together and now again we can call Aston Villa EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS!! I never in my wildest dreams thought I would play for a club the size of Villa but to help lead them to a major European trophy makes me the proudest guy alive!! UP THE VILLA.”

McGinn added in a post-match interview: “I can’t believe it, to be honest. What we’ve been through as a club. This club was close to being in a right bad way seven years ago. Nassef (Sawiris) and Wes (Edens) bought the club over and they had one remit – to get the club back to the Premier League and then try and get it to compete to the levels it had before.

“Wednesday was just everything we have built coming together. And the pride I felt at 3-0 with 10 minutes to go, thinking we’re European champions, was something I can’t even describe. “It means a lot. As a kid growing up, I can remember, it wasn’t a great night for Celtic, but that night in Seville in 2003, I thought ‘wow, that’s special’.

John McGinn on Europa League triumph

“I was lucky enough to go to the 2007 UEFA Cup final at Hampden, so to be here in 2026 as captain of Aston Villa is incredible. It’s the proudest moment and night of my career so far. I’m going to try and enjoy it. I like to party sometimes but tonight I’ll try and take it easy, soak it all in.

“I think, for me, being 31, my first European final, I watched my mates win trophies, Andy Robertson and Jack Grealish, so it’s my turn tonight. Maybe not the big one they’ve won. But, to me, it’s so, so special and I’ll cherish every minute.”