McTominay earns Ballon d'Or nomination after standout season with Napoli

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There has been some interesting nominations for the Ballon d’Or

Scott McTominay has been shortlisted for the 2025 men’s Ballon d’Or, becoming the first Scot to be nominated for the award since Ally McCoist in 1987.

Author | Josh D

European Super Football News | McTominay Napoli

The 28-year-old midfielder joined Napoli from Manchester United last summer in a £25m deal and played a central role in their Serie A title triumph. He scored 12 goals in 34 league appearances and was named Serie A’s player of the year.

His inclusion among the 30 nominees caps a remarkable rise for the Lanarkshire-born player, who left his boyhood club after a decade at Old Trafford in search of more regular first-team football. The winner will be revealed on 22 September.

Conte turns McTominay into a superstar

Scott McTominay has thrived since joining Napoli, but his resurgence can be traced back to a key tactical change introduced by Antonio Conte. During his time at Manchester United, McTominay was typically used as a defensive midfielder, offering work rate and discipline but limited attacking threat.

Scotland also experimented with him in deeper roles, at one point deploying him as a centre-back, before Steve Clarke began using him further forward in midfield. That shift unlocked a new dimension to his game, and Conte clearly took note.

Under Conte, McTominay was given the freedom to push higher up the pitch, and the results were immediate. He ended the campaign as the joint top-scoring midfielder in Serie A.

It was a stark contrast to his Premier League record, where he scored just 19 times in 178 appearances for United.

McTominay at Napoli

Who else has been nominated

Among the other nominees is Ousmane Dembélé, following a standout season with Paris Saint-Germain that culminated in Champions League success in Munich. The 28-year-old forward is viewed as a strong contender for the award.

Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal, just 18, is also in the running alongside teammate Raphinha after the Catalan club claimed the La Liga title under Hansi Flick.

Manchester City striker Erling Haaland makes the list, but his teammate and last year’s winner, Rodri, misses out after an injury-hit campaign. Arsenal duo Declan Rice and Viktor Gyökeres are included, as are Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk, Alexis Mac Allister and Mohamed Salah.

Chelsea's Cole Palmer is the only other Premier League representative.

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