Scottish footballer Scott McTominay has revealed that he underwent a heart treatment just two days before Scotland beat Haiti at the World Cup in June. The ablation procedure, performed in Manchester, corrected an irregular heartbeat.
McTominay explained that he was sedated during the tournament to correct his heart rhythm. "I had to go and get a shock to my heart," he said, adding: "It was two days before the game against Haiti." Despite the procedure, he was cleared to play in the opening 1-0 victory over Haiti in Massachusetts.
The ablation, as he described it, is a minimally invasive operation to correct irregular heart rhythms. "A relatively simple procedure, which went very, very well in Manchester," McTominay stated. He emphasised that he was ready for the match: "I was 100% [fit]."
The former Manchester United player, now a member of Napoli, praised his club and the medical staff who treated him in the autumn. Due to heart issues, he missed Scotland's first four Nations League matches, returning to the squad after rejoining domestic and Champions League competitions with Napoli.
At the World Cup, the 29-year-old played 90 minutes in defeats to Morocco and Brazil. He now speaks calmly about his condition: "Yes, I am fine," he said, adding: "I feel much, much better than before." He is also convinced the procedure was necessary: "I feel that it was something that needed to be done."
"I am really happy to be back and playing football again," McTominay stated, with the message: "For me, it is always about coming back stronger."
