November 12: Scott McTominay has revealed he underwent a cardioversion (an electric shock to restore the heart’s rhythm) two days before Scotland’s World Cup opener against Haiti in June.
In training, irregularities have been detected in the heartbeat of the Napoli midfielder. With heart specialists supporting Scotland team doctor Johnny Gordon, he was taken to hospital and put under general anesthesia for the procedure.
“I had to go and get my heart two days before the Haiti game,” the 29-year-old said ahead of Scotland’s Nations League game against North Macedonia.
“I was 100% fit, but obviously when you’re sitting in a hospital bed two days before the first game of the World Cup about to go to bed, it’s not ideal, is it?”
The data showed that his heart had returned to normal after the shock, and he was cleared to play. He started all three group games, but Scotland’s 1-0 win over Haiti was followed by defeats to Morocco and Brazil, and they went out.
“You prepared so well, I was in such good condition and then something like this happens and you’re thinking, ‘How is this happening to me?'” McTominay said. “There’s no excuse, but it’s something you have to look back on and say, ‘Well, it’s part of the process.’
On 8 September he underwent a cardiac ablation to treat the ongoing arrhythmia, returning to action on 10 October.
The tournament left its mark. “After the World Cup, it was probably the most disappointed I’ve been in my career,” he said. “I’m always one for the glass half full, but this one took a good couple of weeks to get out of my system.”
The revelation puts his quiet World Cup in a different light. McTominay had been Scotland’s most important player in qualifying and one of Serie A’s standout midfielders at Napoli, but had no goals or assists in the final.
