Scott McTominay has revealed he was treated for an irregular heartbeat just days before Scotland's first World Cup match in 28 years, but insists he was never going to miss the tournament.
The Napoli midfielder was given shock treatment to reset his heart's rhythm after arriving in Boston ahead of the group opener against Haiti in June. He had missed training at Scotland's Charlotte base camp, reportedly due to a sickness bug, but has now confirmed the real reason was a heart issue that required hospital treatment.
Speaking publicly for the first time since Scotland's World Cup exit, McTominay said the condition, atrial fibrillation, was not something he could ignore as an elite athlete.
Treatment Before the Haiti Game
McTominay made manager Steve Clarke aware of his concerns on the eve of the match. After landing in Boston, he was given a personal police escort to hospital, where doctors put him to sleep and delivered shock treatment to correct his heart rhythm.
Only McTominay, the squad, staff, and the SFA's PR team knew about the episode. The midfielder said the procedure had an impact on his condition.
“Whenever you go under anaesthetic and you have to get put to sleep, it decreases the athletic performance a little bit, as well as your sleep and stuff like that,” he said. “But you have to get back round to doing it again. It was far from ideal but those are the cards you're dealt, there's nothing you can do about it.”
World Cup Form and Criticism
McTominay's performances against Haiti, Morocco, and Brazil drew criticism, as he did not appear at his dynamic best. He had scored a memorable overhead kick against Denmark to help Scotland qualify, which raised expectations.
The 29-year-old acknowledged the criticism but said he was aware of his own form. “You know yourself as a professional footballer if you're not quite where you should be,” he said. “You just try to block it out.”
He rejected any suggestion that he might have sat out the World Cup. “I didn't sit there thinking I might not play. That would never be the case,” he said. “I was always going to play in that game. Maybe selfishly, I don't know.”
Recovery and New Start Under Pocognoli
McTominay underwent corrective surgery when he returned to Napoli and has since recovered fully. He said he went into the operation confident he would return, even if it took until he was 40.
He is now working with new Scotland boss Pocognoli, who has said he wants to reduce the pressure on McTominay. The midfielder said he welcomes the expectation, citing his experience at Manchester United and Napoli.
“It's a privilege being in situations like that where people expect things from you,” he said. “If you have moments where you score, then wonderful. But everything is for the good of the team, that's how I see it.”
