McTominay says he received heart ‘shock’ 48 hours before Scotland’s World Cup opener
Scott McTominay revealed he was hospitalised and received what he called “the shock on my heart” in the United States 48 hours before Scotland’s World Cup opener against Haiti at Boston Stadium in June. The Napoli midfielder disclosed the procedure while speaking to media in Glasgow on Tuesday.
At the time of the World Cup the 29-year-old’s absence from training had been attributed to a stomach complaint. It later emerged in August that McTominay required surgery to correct an irregular heartbeat, with the operation carried out in September. That procedure forced him to miss Scotland’s first four Nations League matches.
“The World Cup was difficult for me to be honest. I had to go and get the shock on my heart. It was two days before the Haiti game and you have prepared so well. I was in such good condition and then something like that happens. And you think: ‘How is this happening to me?’ But then you have to get on with it,” McTominay said.
He framed the episode as an unavoidable setback rather than an excuse for his form: “These are cards you are dealt in football. Sometimes things don’t go your way and you have to continue to do your best. It’s nowhere near an excuse but it’s something you have to look back on and say it’s part of the process.”
Recalling the immediate lead-up to the tournament, McTominay said: “Whenever you are sitting in a hospital bed two days before the first game at the World Cup, about to get put to sleep it’s not ideal is it? When things like that happen it is what it is, there’s nothing you can do about it. After the World Cup I reflected on it and it’s probably the most disappointed I have been in my career.”
Scotland were eliminated in the group stage and McTominay’s performances were among those criticised; the campaign also precipitated Steve Clarke’s resignation as manager. Sébastien Pocognoli, Clarke’s successor, will call on McTominay for the first time when North Macedonia visit Hampden Park on Friday.
McTominay returned to the Napoli team in early October and has since scored five goals, including doubles against Bodø/Glimt and Roma. He sought to downplay the severity of the heart problem, saying: “I’m feeling much, much better than what I was. It [the operation] was something that needed to be done. In your career you have moments like that, where things can take you by surprise. It looks a lot worse to people in the media and family or friends who reach out to you when they see news relating to a heart issue, but it was a relatively straightforward procedure which went really, really well in Manchester. I’m really happy to be back and playing football again.”
“It was explained to me really well by the doctors at Napoli and my cardiologist in Manchester so the process was really straightforward. The doctor with Scotland when we were away at the World Cup explained, if that was going to be the case how it would look. All the staff members made me feel so relaxed about the situation.” McTominay has been named in Scotland’s squad for their upcoming fixtures against North Macedonia and Switzerland.