‘God save’ Scott McTominay as former Man Utd player dubbed ‘Rocky of football’
Italian media have found a new folk hero in Scott McTominay, with the former Manchester United midfielder earning a level of reverence rarely afforded to imports in Serie A.
The reaction followed Napoli’s chaotic 3-2 win over Genoa, a game that once again placed McTominay at the centre of everything, even though his involvement lasted just 45 minutes.
McTominay scored a superb long-range goal, helped spark Napoli’s equaliser and then spent the second half watching from the sidelines after being withdrawn with an injury that has troubled him for weeks.
Despite his goal contributions, McTominay’s influence is largely measured in character, resilience and presence.
His continued influence has reportedly earned him sit-down talks with Napoli to discuss extending his contract to 2030, though he was recently linked with a return to Old Trafford.
McTominay joined Man Utd’s academy at the age of five, rose through the ranks and spent seven years in the first-team squad, often filling gaps rather than being built around.
Across 178 Premier League appearances for United, he scored 19 league goals and was regularly used in multiple roles, including spells further forward when the squad lacked options.
The shift has been stark since his £25.7m move to Napoli in August 2024. Under Antonio Conte, McTominay has become a core figure, contributing goals, physical authority and leadership.
But he’s also being managed carefully by the former Chelsea and Tottenham boss.
McTominay’s weekend goal against Genoa proved decisive, yet Conte opted to remove him at half-time.
Il Napolista praised McTominay’s contribution to Napoli’s opener and described his performance as “a magnificent moral brace”, before signing off its assessment with the line: “God save Scott McTominay.”
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Corriere dello Sport struck a similar tone, awarding him an eight out of ten and summing up his appeal simply: “When the going gets tough, he’s always the toughest.”
His goal was labelled “beautiful”, while his display was described as “exceptional”, adding that he continued to “shoot, run and fight like hell”, earning him the tag “the Rocky of football”.
After the game, Conte explained the decision in full. “Scott has been dealing with this problem since the beginning of the year,” he said.
“It’s an inflammation of the tendons in the area between the gluteus maximus and the hamstrings. This discomfort forces him to play at a reduced pace.
“He would have continued, but at the end of the first half I preferred to avoid any stupid risks. We’re talking about a key player for us, I need him to be 100%. We hope to get him back as soon as possible.”
Since arriving in Naples, he has delivered 18 Serie A goals across two seasons, helped Napoli lift the Supercoppa Italiana in December and established himself as one of Conte’s most trusted players.
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