Fit-again McGinn was 'petrified' he would miss World Cup
Ten years ago on Sunday, John McGinn won the first of his 84 international caps, but two months ago he was "scared" he would miss out on the biggest of them all as Scotland end a 28-year wait to play at another World Cup finals. The 31-year-old midfielder needed major surgery for the first time in his career after picking up an injury for Aston Villa against Everton . But he battled back to fitness earlier than scheduled to breathe new life into his club side's chase for Champions League qualification and remains a vital part of Steve Clarke's national side as they prepare for this summer's tournament in the Americas.
McGinn spoke to BBC Scotland before Tuesday's latest warm-up friendly against Ivory Coast in Liverpool . You are Scotland head coach Clarke… what would you do? When he walked off the pitch at Villa Park in mid-January, McGinn feared his World Cup dream was over.
"I was scared," he says. "I remember right away feeling, oh this isn't right. It was 10, 15 minutes into the game, I blocked a pass against Everton and I knew right away, so my hand goes up and obviously I've known experienced players who have done serious knee injuries six months plus feeling able to walk off.
"I was petrified really, but then you get the scan and you wait and thankfully it was good news that it was only a minor knee injury. "The knee obviously reacts in different ways to surgery, but it could have been a lot, lot worse. It was expected to be six to eight weeks.
Managed to come back in six weeks. " McGinn initially thought he might be able to play on without surgery. "I thought it was an important time for the club, an important time of the season, big games, but then, as the days went on, it started to swell more and there was more fluid in the knee," he recalls.