Heart problems days before World Cup debut: McTominay battles back

The article reports that Scott McTominay was in a hospital two days before his World Cup debut against Haiti due to a heart rhythm disorder, after which he underwent an electrical cardioversion under anesthesia and nevertheless still played the match. More information about the hospitalisation was later confirmed.

Heart problems and recovery

In an interview McTominay said: “Two days before the match against Haiti I was lying in a hospital bed and had to be under anesthesia. Far from ideal.” The alarm went off at the Scottish camp, where he was set to make his first World Cup appearance. He underwent an electrical cardioversion, a heart shock under anesthesia, to correct the irregular heartbeat. Despite feeling 100 % fit, he did not consider it an ideal situation to be in a hospital two days before his debut.

After the World Cup match, McTominay underwent a heart operation in September to definitively treat the underlying condition. He described the procedure as a simple electrical ablation (PFA) that corrected a mild, benign arrhythmia. The procedure kept him out of the squad from 1 September until October, after which he received clearance to play again following the usual medical checks. He is now available for Napoli coach Massimiliano Allegri and reports being fully recovered.

McTominay reveals the heart electroshock before the Haiti match

The 29‑year‑old midfielder shows no limitations on the pitch and has already scored five goals since his return to Napoli a month ago. He now feels much better than before and sees the operation as a necessary step in his career. McTominay emphasises that the most important thing is to come back stronger and focus on the next match, paying attention to nutrition, sleep and recovery.

In Belgium, Jeremy Doku also ended up in hospital during the World Cup due to breathing problems, showing that medical concerns affected several teams. In Scotland, similar concerns have so far been kept under wraps, but McTominay has now made them public.