Morgan Rogers continues to make headlines in European football after scoring a historic hat-trick in Aston Villa's 4-2 victory over Celtic on Wednesday. The win secured Villa's automatic qualification for the Champions League last 16, with Rogers becoming the first player ever to score twice within the opening five minutes of a Champions League match.
"He was a joy to watch," former Villa and Celtic midfielder Stiliyan Petrov remarked on TNT Sports. "He looked like a mature player and looked like he is going to be a star." BBC Radio 5 Live's Chris Sutton echoed this sentiment, describing Rogers as "unplayable at times."
The 22-year-old's rise has been meteoric. At the start of the 2023-24 season, he was a Championship bench player for Middlesbrough. Now, he's making history in Europe's premier club competition. After a £1.5m move to Middlesbrough in July 2023, Villa's £8m acquisition just seven months later raised eyebrows. However, Rogers has vindicated the investment, starting 30 of Villa's 31 games across the Premier League and Champions League this season.
For Rogers, the decision to join Villa was straightforward. "It was pretty easy when I found out the team who wanted me," he said. "Being a lad from Birmingham it was the perfect reality. I couldn't say no." His journey began at West Brom at age nine, followed by a stint at Manchester City and loan spells with Lincoln City, Bournemouth, and Blackpool, experiences he credits for his development.
Under Unai Emery's guidance, Rogers has flourished. "The manager is so intense. He is next level in terms of little things normal people wouldn't see," Rogers explained. "The confidence and belief he has given me is massive. Giving that trust and belief means a lot - but he is still pushing me as well."
The young Englishman's achievements have already earned him international recognition, with recent appearances for the senior England team against Greece and the Republic of Ireland in the Nations League. Looking ahead to England's World Cup qualifying campaign under new manager Thomas Tuchel, Rogers remains grounded despite his ambitions.
"Playing at major tournaments for your country is the dream," he said before his England senior debut. "I'm not going to be hurt if I don't get selected. It's an ambition for me, but hopefully I can keep knocking on the door."
Rogers' hat-trick against Celtic has now become the pinnacle of his career thus far. "It's definitely the highlight of my career so far," he told UEFA after the game. "It's a crazy experience and a crazy game to be a part of." For a player who grew up idolizing Cristiano Ronaldo, Paul Pogba, and Neymar, Rogers is now creating his own legacy on the same prestigious stages where his heroes once performed.
