Scott McTominay revealed he underwent a cardiac ablation procedure in Manchester after his heart was shocked two days before Scotland’s World Cup opener against Haiti, leaving him physically fit but mentally drained during the team’s group-stage exit.
Unbeknown to supporters enjoying Boston’s bars, Scotland’s star player was quietly escorted to a local hospital on the eve of the tournament, Sky Sports reported. The Napoli midfielder required urgent medical intervention to correct an irregular heartbeat known as atrial fibrillation, according to reporting from The Scotsman.
Medical staff put the 29-year-old under sedation 48 hours before the kickoff against Haiti, administering a shock to reset his cardiac rhythm. BBC Sport noted that despite the harrowing ordeal, the player received medical clearance to contest the opening 1-0 victory in Massachusetts.
McTominay acknowledged the heavy psychological toll of the sudden health scare during a press conference at Hampden Park on Tuesday. “I had to go and get the shock on my heart two days before the Haiti game,” he told reporters, as documented by Sky Sports.
“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?'” The Guardian highlighted that his initial absence from training prior to the tournament had been publicly attributed to a routine stomach complaint.
The undisclosed medical emergency coincided with a difficult group-stage campaign that saw Scotland knocked out early and prompted Steve Clarke to resign as manager, as detailed by The Guardian. McTominay played the entirety of subsequent losses to Morocco and Brazil but struggled to match his usual output.
The player admitted the aftermath lingered for weeks. “After the World Cup, it was probably the most disappointed I’ve ever been in my career,” he stated to Sky Sports, adding that he required a sustained break to process the frustration.
After returning to Serie A action with Napoli at the start of the current campaign, McTominay opted to undergo the permanent corrective ablation procedure in September.
The timing forced him to miss Scotland’s opening four matches under newly appointed manager Sébastien Pocognoli, according to The Guardian. Having featured in all nine of his club’s fixtures since the preceding international break, the midfielder has rediscovered his scoring touch with five goals.
Rejoining the national team for upcoming Nations League encounters against North Macedonia and Switzerland, McTominay expressed relief regarding his current physical condition. Sky Sports reported that the player downplayed public alarm, characterizing the operation in Manchester as straightforward.
“I’m good. I’m feeling much, much better than what I was,” he told reporters at Hampden. The squad now prepares to host North Macedonia on November 13 before traveling to face Switzerland three days later.
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