McTominay Had Heart Shocked Two Days Before Scotland's World Cup Opener

Scott McTominay has revealed that he needed his heart "shocked" just two days before Scotland's World Cup opener against Haiti, a medical episode that ran alongside a tournament he later described as the most disappointing of his career.

Speaking at a press conference, the midfielder said he had to undergo the treatment in the build-up to the June match. Sky Sports reported that the issue was an irregular heartbeat. The Guardian reported that the procedure was carried out under sedation in hospital and took place in September, causing McTominay to miss Scotland's first four Nations League matches. Coverage of the timing differs between outlets, so the exact sequence of events is best read with that caveat in mind.

McTominay played all three of Scotland's group-stage games, but he struggled to reach his best as the team went out in the group stage. He said that in the weeks after the tournament he was still disappointed and not quite himself mentally. He was clear that the health issue was no excuse, but described it as part of a process he now has to reflect on.

He is back in the Scotland squad for the upcoming fixtures against North Macedonia and Switzerland, and he insisted he is feeling much better than he was. For a player who was expected to be central to Scotland's tournament hopes, the revelation adds a human layer to a campaign that ended earlier than the squad had wanted.