How Scott McTominay Became A Napoli Legend After Leaving Manchester United

Former Manchester United star Scott McTominay has officially become a legend at Napoli.

After a season filled with goals and standout performances, he played a vital role in helping the club win the Serie A title, and his emotional reaction after the final whistle showed just how much it meant to him.

McTominay opened the scoring with a stunning volley against Cagliari, marking his 12th goal of the season.

Romelu Lukaku, his former Manchester United teammate, added another to secure the win. That victory was enough for Napoli to clinch their fourth Serie A championship, finishing ahead of Inter Milan.

Right after the match, the 28-year-old midfielder from Scotland was named Serie A’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) for the 2024-25 season.

“I’m lost for words. It’s incredible you know, the sacrifice that every single player in the group has put forward to the cause,” said McTominay after the game.

“And the people deserve it because they’ve been behind us from day one, and for me to come and experience this is a dream,” McTominay said.

Leaving Manchester United — the club he’d been with since childhood — was a huge decision. But now, that move looks like a masterstroke.

Naples has embraced Scott McTominay like one of their own. Fans have created flags, tattoos, and even a shrine in his honor. Some even show up to matches wearing kilts, celebrating their adopted Scottish star.

In a city where footballers are treated like gods, McTominay has found his place, following in the footsteps of icons like Diego Maradona.

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Why McTominay Left Manchester United

Last summer, McTominay was ready for a new challenge, and United needed to sell to meet financial rules under the Premier League’s PSR.

After more than 20 years at the club, including joining their soccer school at age five, he moved to Napoli for £25.7 million — a deal that now looks like a massive bargain.

Even former United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer questioned the move, saying, “How you can sell Scott is beyond me.”

As McTominay celebrates a title in Italy, Manchester United is struggling through one of its worst seasons in decades, missing out on European football again.

“He looks like he is loving life,” said former Scotland international Don Hutchison. “A lot of backroom staff at Manchester United can be proud of how they turned him into this.

“The player has been there for four or five years, but it is going to Napoli and having the confidence of the manager that has taken him up tenfold.”

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A Move That Nearly Didn’t Happen

Interestingly, Napoli almost signed another midfielder, Marco Brescianini, who was even undergoing a medical before the deal collapsed. That twist of fate opened the door for McTominay, and the rest is history.

In his debut season, McTominay scored 12 goals in 34 Serie A matches, plus another in the Coppa Italia. He was named Serie A Player of the Month in April and is in the running for May too. No midfielder in the league has scored more this season.

At United, McTominay was often used in a defensive role. At Napoli, under manager Antonio Conte, he’s playing further up the pitch — and it’s paying off. His attacking style suits Conte’s system perfectly.

“Conte changed his system to put him in the best conditions to play,” explained Naples-based journalist Vincenzo Credendino.

“In the system of Conte he’s not a builder, he’s a raider – the best option while you have a number nine like Romelu Lukaku, who today plays – and builds – a lot for the team.”

He’s among the top midfielders in Serie A for touches in the opposition’s box and duels won. He’s also taken on a leadership role, stepping in to calm a teammate during a heated moment against Cagliari.

Credendino compared him to past Conte stars like Claudio Marchisio and Arturo Vidal, who also thrived under similar systems.

“You can compare McTominay with the big midfielders of Conte’s history. In his first years at Juventus (2011-12 and 2012-13), Claudio Marchisio and Arturo Vidal scored nine and 10 goals respectively. It’s not a coincidence. McTominay is perfect for Conte as Conte is perfect for McTominay,” he said.

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A New Fan Favorite in Naples

Napoli is a city where footballers become icons, and McTominay is no exception. While no one can match Maradona’s god-like status, McTominay is adored in every way possible.

Fans have given him several nicknames — McFratm (a Neapolitan slang for “McBro”), McTerminator, and MacGyver. He’s been crucial in tight moments too, with eight of his goals coming when the score was still 0-0.

In December, McTominay told BBC Scotland, “I saw the passionate fans, I saw the coach, I saw the players and I saw an opportunity.

“I took it, I didn’t look back. It didn’t take me long to make the decision because I knew that was what I wanted and I’ll never have any regrets in my life.

“As soon as I put my mind to something I want to do it, that’s it. There’s no holding me back. I love this place, I love the fans, I love my team-mates.”

One pizza restaurant in Edinburgh even has a flag saying: “Napoli. McTominay. Pizza. In that order.” The restaurant owners, born in Scotland to Neapolitan parents, say his commitment to the city and his badge-kissing moments have won over Napoli fans.

A shrine was recently created for McTominay at San Nicola a Nilo, showing just how much the locals love him. His work ethic, passion, and even his attempts to learn Italian and Neapolitan dialect have made him one of their own.

And yes — even the tomatoes impressed him. “Oh my goodness, the tomatoes. I never ate them at home, they’re just red water,” McTominay joked.

“Here, they actually taste like tomatoes. Now I eat them as a snack. I eat all the vegetables, all of the fruits. It is all so fresh. It’s incredible.”

McTominay Joins Scottish Legends in Italy

Before this season, only two Scots — Jack Diment and James Squair in 1905 — had ever won Italy’s top-flight title. Now, McTominay and fellow Scottish midfielder Billy Gilmour, who also joined Napoli this season, have added their names to that short list.

Elsewhere in Italy, Lewis Ferguson captained Bologna to a Coppa Italia win, joining the likes of Graeme Souness and Rose Reilly as Scottish players with major trophies in Italian football.

Scott McTominay’s journey from Manchester United to becoming a Napoli hero is a story of bravery, timing, and transformation. And if this season is anything to go by, he’s just getting started.

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