Scott McTominay reveals heart scare two days before Haiti–Scotland World Cup match

Scottish midfielder Scott McTominay has revealed that he underwent a cardioversion, an electric shock to restore his heart to its normal rhythm, two days before the Haiti–Scotland World Cup match on June 13 in Boston. At the time, the Scottish national team had only mentioned a stomach problem.

"I had to go and have my heart shocked. It was two days before the game against Haiti," the 29-year-old Napoli player recounted this week. He said he was taken to the hospital under police escort upon the team's arrival in Boston, then put under anesthesia for the procedure.

"It's not ideal"

"I was 100% fit, but when you're in a hospital bed two days before the first game of the World Cup, about to be put to sleep, it's not ideal," he said. He described the sensation of his heart "jumping out of his chest." According to him, the anesthesia slightly diminished his physical capabilities.

McTominay still played in all three of Scotland's matches. The Scots beat Haiti 1-0 on a goal by John McGinn, before losing to Brazil and Morocco and being eliminated in the group stage. "It's probably one of the worst moments of my career," he confided.

Operated on in September

In September, his club, Napoli, had announced that he was suffering from a "mild benign arrhythmia," an irregular heartbeat without serious risk, and that he would undergo surgery. He missed Scotland's first four Nations League matches. Now recovered, he is back with the national team to face North Macedonia on Friday.