Morgan Rogers has been named UEFA Europa League Player of the Season, one of four Aston Villa players named in the official Team of the Season.
- Rogers joins Martinez, McGinn and Buendia in the UEFA Technical Observer Group’s official selection
- The 23-year-old covered 121.6km across the campaign: 8.1km more than any other Villa player
- His five assists led Villa alongside Buendia while his 1,088 minutes was 67 more than any teammate
- Rogers scored in the final against Freiburg completing a remarkable individual campaign in Istanbul
Morgan Rogers. The deserved individual recognition
Morgan Rogers’ nomination as UEFA Europa League Player of the Season is the most fitting possible individual recognition of a collective triumph. The 23-year-old England international was the competition’s standout performer across 15 appearances and the statistics that underpin his selection tell the story of a player who gave absolutely everything across every single minute of the campaign.
One thousand and eighty-eight minutes played 67 more than any other Villa player. Three goals. Five assists, the highest for any Villa player alongside Buendia. 121.6km covered an extraordinary 8.1km more than any of his teammates. And the final goal in Istanbul to cap a campaign of breathtaking individual quality. Rogers’ selection is not sentimental or commercial. It is an entirely data-driven recognition of the most productive and consistently excellent performance in the entire competition.
His goals came against Salzburg and Bologna earlier in the campaign with his five assists reflecting the creative intelligence and vision that placed him first in the competition’s chances created rankings. The corner delivery for Tielemans’ iconic opening goal in the final demonstrated the specific and rehearsed quality that Emery has developed in Rogers across three seasons of consistent improvement. His own finish in the 3-0 victory over Freiburg was the perfect individual conclusion to the perfect individual campaign.
Rogers joins an illustrious list of previous winners that includes Eden Hazard, Antoine Griezmann, Romelu Lukaku and Paul Pogba, players who defined European campaigns with sustained individual excellence rather than isolated moments. In 2025-26, Rogers surpassed every single one of them in terms of the specific competition data.
Four Villa players. Team of the Season dominance
The scale of Villa’s representation in the official UEFA Europa League Team of the Season reflects both the collective excellence of the campaign and the specific individual contributions that delivered the trophy. Four players from the winning club in an eleven-man selection is a remarkable testament to the squad Emery has assembled.
Emiliano Martinez — the goalkeeper whose miracle double save against Igor Jesus in the Forest first leg kept the entire campaign alive. The Argentine’s commanding presence and shot-stopping excellence across 15 Europa League appearances make his selection entirely deserved.
John McGinn — the captain whose brace against Nottingham Forest in the semi-final second leg sent Villa to Istanbul. His energy, leadership and technical contribution across three European campaigns under Emery are distilled into a single defining moment that will be replayed for generations.
Emiliano Buendia — the Man of the Match in the final. Eight goal involvements from 11 Europa League starts. His curling masterpiece into the top corner against Freiburg was the moment that effectively ended the contest and confirmed Villa as champions. Five assists alongside Rogers — the creative heartbeat of the entire campaign.
The full Team of the Season
| Position | Player | Club |
|---|---|---|
| Goalkeeper | Emiliano Martinez | Aston Villa |
| Defender | Victor Gómez | Braga |
| Defender | Matthias Ginter | Freiburg |
| Defender | Morato | Nottingham Forest |
| Defender | Oscar Mingueza | Celta Vigo |
| Midfielder | Maximilian Eggestein | Freiburg |
| Midfielder | John McGinn | Aston Villa |
| Midfielder | Morgan Rogers | Aston Villa |
| Forward | Antony | Real Betis |
| Forward | Igor Jesus | Nottingham Forest |
| Forward | Emiliano Buendia | Aston Villa |
The transfer implication. Rogers’ value just increased
The Player of the Season award arrives at a particularly significant moment in Rogers’ Villa career. Manchester United’s pursuit of the 23-year-old has been well documented and UEFA’s official recognition of his status as the competition’s outstanding individual performer will only intensify the interest from Old Trafford and beyond. Villa’s task of retaining a player who has just been confirmed as the best in European football’s second most prestigious competition has never been more challenging, or more important.
ReadAstonVilla Verdict
Four players in the Team of the Season. One Player of the Season. Four from the same club in the same eleven. The individual awards confirm what the trophy already told the world, this was Villa’s competition from start to finish. Rogers must be retained at all costs. His award is not just personal recognition. It is the clearest possible statement of what Villa would be losing if he leaves this summer
