Napoli midfielder Scott McTominay revealed he required a cardiac ablation procedure to correct an irregular heartbeat just two days before Scotland’s World Cup opener against Haiti, Sky Sports reported.
The 29-year-old midfielder underwent the medical intervention in Manchester in September after a mild, benign heart arrhythmia continued to affect him during August matches in Italy, according to RTÉ.ie. Scotland team staff initially attributed his missed training before the tournament to a stomach complaint. McTominay played all three group matches as Scotland exited the tournament, stating he felt physically fit but mentally drained by the hospital visit.
“I had to go and get the shock on my heart two days before the Haiti game,” McTominay said at a press conference at Hampden Park, as quoted by Sky Sports.
McTominay recalled being put to sleep in a hospital bed immediately prior to the tournament opener. BBC Sport noted he received medical clearance to play 90 minutes in the 1-0 victory over Haiti, as well as subsequent group-stage defeats to Morocco and Brazil.
“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?'” McTominay said, as reported by RTÉ.ie. He added that the ordeal left him mentally flat for weeks after the tournament.
Following two Serie A appearances at the start of the current domestic season, McTominay opted for corrective surgery. The procedure sidelined him for all of September and caused him to miss Scotland’s opening four fixtures under new manager Sebastien Pocognoli, according to RTÉ.ie.
McTominay has since featured in all nine matches for Napoli since the previous international break. He returned to the national team setup for the squad featuring goalkeepers Scott Bain, Angus Gunn, Liam Kelly, and Jon McCracken, alongside defenders Andy Robertson, Kieran Tierney, and Aaron Hickey.
“I’m good. I’m feeling much, much better than what I was,” McTominay said, according to RTÉ.ie. “It was a relatively straightforward procedure which went really, really well in Manchester.”
Scotland faces North Macedonia on November 13 at 7.45pm, followed by an away fixture against Switzerland on November 16, according to Sky Sports.
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