The theme of players finding another lease of life after leaving Manchester United is not new, but one player is exceeding all expectations even on that metric.
The international break is generally a chance to sit back and analyse what’s happened in the club season so far and how the team can improve.
However, it’s also a chance to look at the players who left United and how they are doing now for their national teams.
Rasmus Hojlund scored for Denmark, while the picture was less rosy for Marcus Rashford. One player, however, continues his ascent to world-class status in another sparkling display.
Scott McTominay of Scotland looks on
Photo by Ulrik Pedersen/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Scotland sing praises of Scott McTominay
Scott McTominay has become the poster boy for success stories after leaving Old Trafford with his exploits for Napoli.
McTominay is already an icon in Naples, and his recent Ballon d’Or nomination punctuated a remarkable rise to the top in quick fashion.
Club football, however, can still be tactical, which is why Conte building the team to maximise McTominay’s talents is a fair argument.
That’s not the case with international football, where McTominay has remained as the talismanic figure.
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He recently cemented his newfound world-class status with another display of pure brilliance in Scotland’s 2-0 win against Belarus.
Playing as the advanced midfielder, McTominay ran Belarus ragged in an all-action display which saw him dominate on both ends of the pitch.
He won the most duels on the pitch (8), completed the most dribbles (4), and had 65 touches of the ball, with nine of those coming in the opposition’s box. (Stats courtesy of Fotmob)
Creating two chances and marking his performance with an assist, he was everywhere for Scotland in a tricky game away at Belarus.
McTominay needed to leave Man Utd to flourish
It is easy to look at McTominay and wonder why he didn’t replicate the form and talent he had all along at Old Trafford.
However, that would miss the crucial perspective that, sometimes, a player needs to leave an environment to unlock another level.
The team was never going to be built around McTominay at Man Utd, and his physical gifts were always going to shoehorn him into a destroyer role.
Furthermore, the glare and scrutiny that academy products are subjected to from the get-go at the club makes it hard for them to ever live up to expectations.
By leaving United and joining a club where the manager had a clear role for him, all of those worries were taken care of, and the result is the titan he is today.