McTominay overcomes an arrhythmia before the 2026 World Cup

Scott McTominay revealed today that, in June, two days before Scotland's opening match at the 2026 World Cup against Haiti, he needed treatment to correct a cardiac arrhythmia, required sedation and, despite that, received medical clearance to play, a match that ended with a 1‑0 victory.

The 29‑year‑old midfielder also played the full 90 minutes against Morocco and Brazil in the same tournament. McTominay, who plays for Napoli, returned to the Scottish national team after that intervention. Jordi Archs, from International Football, reported that the player is fully recovered.

Heart problem and treatment

At the press conference before the Nations League matches against North Macedonia and Switzerland, McTominay said: “I had to undergo a shock to the heart.” He explained that the arrhythmia was treated with a minor cardiac ablation in early September in Manchester, which forced him to miss the first four Nations League fixtures. Initially, his absence was attributed to a stomach upset, but in August the need for surgery was confirmed. For his part, McTominay thanked the doctors, stating that the procedure was straightforward and went very, very well.

Return and future with Scotland

McTominay returned to training with Napoli on October 10, a month after the operation, and said: “Yes, I’m fine. I feel much, much better than before.” He added that “it’s the most important thing in my life and it always will be; I’m eager to return, prove my worth again and reach a higher level”. For him, the key is “coming back stronger”, taking care of diet, sleep and effort in each match. Scotland is in third place in Group B1 of the Nations League with four points after four matchdays, three behind Slovenia and eight behind leaders Switzerland.