McTominay reveals heart shock treatment before World Cup opener

What happened

Scott McTominay has disclosed that he needed an electric shock to the heart to correct a cardiac arrhythmia two days before Scotland's opening World Cup match against Haiti, speaking at a Scotland press conference ahead of the team's Nations League fixtures, according to Corriere dello Sport.

Report details

The Napoli midfielder described being in excellent condition before the episode, saying he had prepared well and was in top form, only to find himself in a hospital bed two days before the opener, on the point of being put to sleep by doctors. He said he asked himself how such a thing could happen to him, but added that you have to move on because football is like that and sometimes things do not go as you would want.

McTominay said he is now well and feels much better than before, and that the procedure was something that had to be done. He noted that a player's career can include moments when events take you by surprise. He also addressed the media coverage, saying television and newspapers made the situation seem much worse than it was, and that friends and family contacted him after reading the news. He described the operation he underwent in Manchester as very simple and said it went very well.

The player, who was sidelined until his return to the pitch last October, said he is happy to be playing again and that football is the most important thing in his life and always will be. He said he wants to prove his worth once more and make sure he can reach a higher level, stressing that the important thing is to come back stronger than before. He added that no matter how well one plays in a match, what counts is always the next game: recovering energy, looking after nutrition and sleep, and pushing beyond one's limits.