Sometimes, a fresh start in a new league can completely change how a player is valued and perceived.
That’s exactly the story with Scotland midfielder Scott McTominay, who moved from Manchester United to Napoli and quickly became a star in Italy’s Serie A.
Liverpool’s Andy Robertson, McTominay’s Scotland teammate and rival in the Premier League, has been vocal about how McTominay didn’t get the respect he deserved back at Old Trafford — but now, he’s proving the doubters wrong.
McTominay’s Italian Breakthrough: From Undervalued to MVP
McTominay’s first season in Italy has been nothing short of spectacular.
He scored the crucial goal that helped Napoli edge closer to their Serie A title, and he was even voted the league’s most valuable player after tallying 12 goals and six assists.
At just 28, he led Antonio Conte’s side to the scudetto, a huge achievement considering Manchester United sold him last year for a relatively modest £25.7 million.
Robertson is impressed, and he’s made it clear that McTominay had a point to prove when he made the move.
“He wanted to prove Man Utd wrong and prove people in the Premier League wrong,” Robertson said ahead of Scotland’s friendly against Iceland.
“He’s gone over there and done that pretty successfully.”
The Respect McTominay Deserved but Didn’t Get at Man United
According to Robertson, McTominay never got a consistent run of games or the respect he deserved during his time at Manchester United. “He was in and out,” Robertson explained.
“He probably didn’t get the respect he deserves. But now, he’s a king over there in Naples.”
For the Scotland captain, seeing two Scots — McTominay and Billy Gilmour — thriving in Italy is a big deal.
“Everyone knows how passionate Napoli’s fans are,” he said. “For them to love one of ours, it’s pretty special for Scotland, too.
They love Billy as well, so credit to both of them for being successful and winning trophies.”
Scottish Players Abroad: A Growing Trend
Robertson highlighted that McTominay and Gilmour aren’t the only Scots making bold moves abroad.
Lewis Ferguson recently captained Bologna to a Coppa Italia victory, and other players like Aaron Hickey, Che Adams, and Max Johnston are also testing themselves in foreign leagues.
He believes this trend benefits Scottish football overall.
“When players move abroad, they see a different style of play and a different lifestyle.
That can only help the young lads coming through,” Robertson said.
“It’s credit to the lads for stepping out of their comfort zone.
The more people we have with that winning mentality, the better it is for Scotland.”
Scotland’s Upcoming Challenges and Lessons Learned
Despite celebrating their successes abroad, McTominay and Gilmour were back with the Scotland squad preparing for a double-header against Iceland and Liechtenstein.
After a tough Nations League campaign that ended with relegation, Robertson believes the team has learned valuable lessons from adversity.
“We learned a lot from the Greece games,” he said, referring to Scotland’s disappointing loss after a 1-0 first-leg win in the playoff.
“Maybe the two legs and traveling took it out of us a bit. We have to be better mentally and physically for big games.”
Looking ahead to World Cup qualifiers in September against Denmark and Belarus, Robertson feels Scotland will be stronger for the challenges they’ve faced.
“We have to be as fresh as possible going into those games and dig deep when things aren’t going well,” he stressed.