Why Scott McTominay 'had to leave' Manchester United for Napoli to earn Ballon d'Or 2025 nomination - Ally McCoist
Published 22/08/2025 at 10:11 GMT+1
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TNT Sports expert Ally McCoist believes former Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay “had to leave” to progress his career and earn a Ballon d’Or nomination. The Serie A MVP of 2024/25, McTominay arrived in Naples 12 months ago after making a reported £25 million move from his boyhood club, and is one of 30 players to be nominated for the prestigious Ballon d'Or.
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When Scott McTominay left Manchester United last season for Napoli, few would expect to see him on the Ballon d'Or shortlist just 12 months later.
Nevertheless, TNT Sports expert Ally McCoist believes he "had to leave United" to put his name among the elites of international football.
Since leaving The Red Devils, McTominay appeared 34 times for the Serie A champions, scoring 12 goals, winning the division's MVP award, and earning recognition on the 30-man shortlist for the Ballon d'Or, football's most prestigious individual honour.
"I’m chuffed to bits for him. I’m just so thrilled that it’s worked out for Scott and Billy [Gilmour] after going out there and becoming Serie A champions in their first season," McCoist told TNT Sports.
"Just look at the way that they’ve adapted to the football and the importance of Scott’s goals.
"I think he’s well deserving of his nomination. For a Scotsman to get in there and be nominated after the season he’s had, it's thoroughly deserved."
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McTominay is the first Scottish player to be nominated for the prestigious award since McCoist himself, in 1987.
McCoist scored 38 goals that year, winning the Scottish title with Rangers and finishing 21st in the Ballon d'Or rankings.
"It’s been too long, if I told you the truth," McCoist said about the time taken for a compatriot to be nominated.
"If I had my way, there would be a Scotsman nominated every year. I’m so pleased for him, as I say, it was thoroughly deserved."
But for McCoist, this success could not have been achieved had McTominay remained in Manchester.
United finished eighth in McTominay's final Premier League season, winning the FA Cup to salvage what was otherwise a disappointing campaign.
Despite this victory, the gap between expectations and reality loomed large, changes were demanded, and McTominay was deemed surplus to requirements.
"When I’m looking at Manchester United, I would have thought there would have been a good few [players] to go before him, because there's a lot of the squad that haven’t performed at the level that they would have wanted to and expected from them," said McCoist.
"He wasn’t in that department, I always thought he was a big plus for Man Utd. Having said all that, I still think he had to leave to achieve what he’s achieving, and I just love the way that he’s grasped the opportunity.
"A lot of people could have left Man United and think it's a slippery slope. He has proved that it can be the complete opposite.
"He’s a good player, but him staying at Manchester United wouldn’t have transformed them into a cup-winning team or lifting the league title, I don’t think. He had to leave United to achieve what he has done."
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McCoist on Martin's 'old school' rant
Rangers manager Russell Martin scolded his team after they drew 1-1 in their Scottish Premiership opener against Motherwell.
He questioned the commitment and mentality of his squad ahead of their UEFA Champions League third qualifying round against Viktoria Plzen.
Whilst some may argue that Martin's critical assessment that Rangers players tend to "revert to type" and "jog around" could harm squad morale, McCoist lauded his no-nonsense attitude.
"I’m old school in the respect that I don’t have a problem with it," said McCoist. "I know a lot of people say that in the modern day it’s not the right thing to do and all that stuff, and I get that.
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"But, if I was a player… and I’ve played with managers who, believe me, Russell Martin’s rant was a breath of fresh air [in comparison]. I played with [Graeme] Souness, Joe Wallace, Walter Smith...
"If you weren’t doing it, they would tell you. So, from that respect, I don’t have a problem with it at all. Also, he's new in the job, and he’s letting them know exactly what’s expected.
"So, from his point of view he’s, I don’t want to say he’s laid down the law, but he’s certainly let them all know in no uncertain terms what he expects from them. I don’t have a problem with that, I think it’s fair enough."
Martin arrived in Glasgow in June, having been sacked by Southampton due to their Premier League struggles back in December.
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Despite a couple of disappointing early draws to start their Scottish Premiership campaign against Motherwell and Dundee, Martin successfully guided The Gers through a challenging Champions League qualification period, defeating Panathinaikos and Viktoria Plzen.
Nevertheless, many Rangers fans, including McCoist, share in Martin's frustrations.
"It’s bizarre, it’s just the lack of consistency that upsets the Rangers supporters, myself included, and we’ve seen it already this season," McCoist told TNT Sports.
"Some great results in Europe - knocking out Panathinaikos was a great achievement. They’ve now automatically got Europa League football anyway, which is great, but there's a lack of consistency in the league.
"I don’t think for a minute that Russell Martin doesn’t know the expectation levels and what’s demanded from the supporters of the team and the management; he will know that, of course, he’ll know it.
"But I think the overriding problem for me is just a lack of consistency with results and performances."
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