Scott McTominay has revealed he underwent a procedure to “shock” his heart just two days before Scotland’s World Cup opener against Haiti.
The Napoli midfielder had a cardiac ablation in Manchester in September to treat a mild, benign heart arrhythmia. The issue first emerged after Scotland arrived in the United States in early June and continued to trouble him in August while he was back in Italy with his club.
Scotland had said the 29-year-old was absent from training before the World Cup because of a stomach complaint.
Speaking at a news conference at Hampden on Tuesday, former Manchester United player McTominay said: “I had to go and get the shock on my heart two days before the Haiti game.”
McTominay played in all three of Scotland’s matches at the World Cup, but the team were eliminated in the group stage and he admitted the experience affected him.
“I was 100 per cent [fit], but obviously when you’re sat in a hospital bed two days before the first game of the World Cup about to get put to sleep, it’s not ideal, is it?” he said.
“You’ve prepared so well, I was in such good condition and then something like that happens and you’re thinking, ‘How is this happening to me?’
“It’s nowhere near an excuse, but it’s something that you have to look back on and say, ‘Well, it’s part of the process’.”
He added: “Obviously, with the way the World Cup went, it was at least two, three weeks of me sitting there disappointed, not quite with it mentally. I needed time to settle down and have a break.
“After the World Cup, it was probably the most disappointed I’ve ever been in my career.
“I’m always one for a glass half full, but that one took a good couple of weeks to get out of my system.”
McTominay returned to action for Napoli at the beginning of this season and played in their first two Serie A matches. He then decided surgery was necessary and spent the whole of September out after undergoing the corrective procedure.
As a result, he missed Scotland’s first four matches under new boss Sebastien Pocognoli. He has now returned to the squad for this month’s Nations League double-header against North Macedonia and Switzerland after playing in all nine of Napoli’s matches since the previous international break.
“I’m good. I’m feeling much, much better than what I was,” said McTominay. “I feel like it was something that needed to be done. In your career you have moments like that where things can take you a bit by surprise.
“Obviously, it looks a lot worse to people in the media and family and friends who reach out to you after they’ve seen news relating to a heart issue. But it was a relatively straightforward procedure which went really, really well in Manchester.
“I’m just really happy to be back playing football again. That’s the most important thing in my life and it always will be.”
Scotland squad
Goalkeepers: Scott Bain (Falkirk), Angus Gunn (San Jose Earthquakes), Liam Kelly (Rangers), Jon McCracken (Bradford City).
Defenders: Luis Binks (Brondby), James Penrice (Rangers), Luke Graham (Stoke City), Jack Hendry (Al-Ettifaq), Aaron Hickey (Brentford), Nathan Patterson (Torino), Andy Robertson (Tottenham), Kieran Tierney (Celtic), Ryan Porteous (Los Angeles FC).
Midfielders: Ryan Christie (Bournemouth), Lewis Ferguson (Bologna), Billy Gilmour (Napoli), John McGinn (Aston Villa), Josh McPake (Hearts), Kristi Montgomery (Blackburn Rovers), Scott McTominay (Napoli).
Forwards: Kieron Bowie (Sassuolo), Findlay Curtis (Rangers), Ben Gannon-Doak (Bournemouth), Oli McBurnie (Hull City), Robbie Ure (Sevilla), Che Adams (Torino).
Scotland’s Nations League fixtures
– Scotland v North Macedonia – 13 November, kick-off 7.45pm
– Switzerland v Scotland – 16 November, kick-off 7.45pm
