Now he is a Serie A champion, the league's best player and a top 30 candidate for the Ballon d'Or. A remarkable transformation, written by a change of position, a spirit of breaking out of the safe zone and a passionate love of Naples.
The turning point from Conte's phone call
On 30 August 2024, McTominay left Man United after 255 games, 29 goals and the familiar image of a hard-working defensive midfielder. Napoli spent 25.7 million pounds to bring him back - a figure that is not remarkable compared to the average transfer fee in Europe. But it was here that the turning point came.
Antonio Conte, renowned for his ability to “recycle” players, sees McTominay not as a “sweeper” in front of the defence, but as a “raider” – a midfielder who can run into the box and score goals as a second striker. The idea is not new, with Scotland coach Steve Clarke experimenting with him in a similar role. But Conte has made it a system.
The result was 12 goals in 34 Serie A games - an achievement equal to the scoring record of Conte's students at Juventus such as Claudio Marchisio (9 goals in 2011/12) or Arturo Vidal (10 goals in 2012/13). McTominay became the top scoring midfielder in the league, sharing this position with several other second-line attacking stars.
Compare that to the change: in the Premier League, he scored just 19 goals in 178 games for Man United. At Napoli, in just one season, McTominay scored more than half that number.
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If there was one moment to sum up the season, it was the scissor kick against Cagliari on the final day that sealed Napoli’s fourth Serie A title. It was a cinematic goal, but also tactically significant – proof that McTominay was in the right place at the right time.
At the end of the season, he received the title of “Best Player” of Serie A. With 12 goals, dozens of successful challenges and a top position in the statistics of midfielders touching the ball in the penalty area, McTominay became an indispensable figure in the “Conte revolution”.
Get out of your comfort zone
McTominay was born in Lancaster and joined the Man United academy at the age of five. A career in red seemed like it would have settled him down. But the midfielder chose the opposite path: leaving his hometown, moving 1,500 miles away from his family to challenge himself.
“Being away from home has made me stronger. I don’t want to stay in my comfort zone. If I can go somewhere else, prove myself and play well, why not?” McTominay told BBC Radio 5 Live.
Luckily for him, his friend and Scotland team-mate Billy Gilmour arrived in Napoli on the same day from Brighton. The two provided moral support and pushed each other to improve, from learning Italian to adapting to a completely new culture and diet.
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Napoli doesn't just love good players, they worship those who are committed and dedicated to the team. From Maradona to more recent icons, this city has turned its love of football into a religion.
McTominay settled in quickly: kissing the Napoli badge after a goal, interacting with fans, and picking up all sorts of hilarious nicknames – from McFratm (McBro), McTerminator, MacGyver to “Apribottiglie” (bottle opener).
His image has been painted on a wall in the city centre, and appeared on a Scottish flag in an Edinburgh restaurant with the words: “Napoli. McTominay. Pizza. In that order.” Some fans have even had him tattooed on their bodies.
Ciro Sartore, owner of San Ciro's restaurant, explained: "Neapolitans love their players for their city. The fact that he kissed the Napoli logo shows how important that is. And of course, scoring goals helps a lot."
According to journalist Vincenzo Credendino, McTominay “is the symbol of the Napoli attitude: intensity, sacrifice and determination in every game”.
It’s hard to believe that just 347 days before being nominated for the Ballon d’Or, McTominay was on the bench for Man United in the defeat to Brighton. But it was a combination of tactical change, a desire to leave his comfort zone and the emotional footballing environment of Naples that turned him into one of the 30 best players in the world .
If this story were a movie, the sequel would certainly still be written – at 28, McTominay is just entering the prime of his career. And Naples, with its fierce love, will be the stage for the “water carrier” of yesteryear to continue to transform into Europe’s top goalscorer.
Source: https://znews.vn/cu-but-pha-ngoan-muc-cua-mctominay-post1575182.html
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