Napoli, a club based in Naples in the south of Italy, since the beginning of the Italian league has always been known to be a club that has been financially ignored and has not achieved great success. The city was termed one of contrasts as it’s known for its rich history and culture, but is also known for its socioeconomic issues.
However, the shining beacon of light for the city and the club came in the form of Diego Maradona, who transferred to Napoli from Barcelona in 1984 for a then-world-record fee of £6.9 million. The Argentine great arrived in the city and put them on the map by winning them their first Scudetto and a Coppa Italia in 1987. He followed that up by winning yet another league title in 1990.
Maradona’s impact on Naples was so immense that he is regarded as “god” in Naples. The stadium, too, was later renamed “The Diego Armando Maradona Stadia”
Cut to 2024, Scott McTominay arrives in Napoli from Manchester United for a fee of 30 million pounds. A transfer at that time had not attracted many eyes due to the simple fact that McTominay was arriving in Italy after some very poor performances in England. Everyone expected the Scotsman not to make that much of a difference and just be another player in the squad.
And yet, the 24/25 season became one to remember for both Scott McTominay and Napoli fans. The midfielder scored 12 goals and provided 4 assists to help Napoli win their 4th ever Italian League title. Mctominay was without a doubt the core of the team, and that became even more evident by the fact that he won the Serie A MVP in his first season there.
Napoli is not a team that takes its superstars lightly. To them, they are everything. Look back to the season where they won their 3rd league title, spearheaded by Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Victor Osimhen. Despite both players not being at the club anymore, they are still adored and respected for their contributions to the club.
Mctominay himself talked about the love and applause he had received from the fans for the season that he had delivered, and how it had made him feel in an article with the BBC back in 2025 after lifting the title.
“And the people deserve it because they’ve been behind us from day one, and for me to come and experience this is a dream.”
Mctominay is adored in Naples even today, with fans getting tattoos of his name, wearing kilt and making murals for him. Along with that the fans paid homage to the original Gareth bale meme in which his priorities were listed in the order, Golf, Wales, Madrid following stunning performances for Wales in the 2022 World cup. The same was done by the fans of the club when they made their own priorities clear in a new sign. For Mctominay, it muts be quite the honour to be compared to not just the god of Naples but also the god of italy that is Pizza.
McTominay’s performances have blossomed so much that the influence and form extended to the National team as well. The forward’s performances, including a stunning bicycle kick against denmark saw Scotland qualify for their first World Cup since 1998.
Now, as we talk of the current season, McTominay currently sits on 7 goals and 3 assists in the league. His performances have seen Napoli sitting 3rd in the league table and are comfortably sitting in contention to qualify for next season’s Champions League.
His most recent heroics came against Cagliari, where he scored a goal in just the second goal of the match to give Napoli the lead. That goal, as it turns out, was enough to give Napoli the win and saw them move up in the table.
The performance was highlighted and praised, but the biggest compliment was from a very key figure. Diego Maradona’s son came forward and quoted-“If my father were God, Mctominay is Jesus.”
“After my father, McTominay is the most influential player in Napoli’s history. In Naples, we had God; for me, McTominay is Jesus. He’s a fundamental player.”
A claim which by no means should be taken lightly. It is a sign of the impact that Scott has had on the team since his move and the weight of expectations that rests upon his shoulders when he’s being compared to THE Napoli player. When we consider all of this, it becomes even more impressive when we see how significant and clutch his performances have been for the club.
Mctominay himself weighed in on his performances for the club and the difference between playing in England and Italy.
“At Napoli, I grew both from a tactical and a physical point of view. Tactically, Italy is different from the Premier League. I had to adapt and learn very quickly how to play, what movements to make, how to free myself, how to become a problem in the opponent’s area and also how to defend. A nice learning curve and I enjoyed every minute.”
These are the words of a player who understands his responsibility and is prepared to carry this weight on his shoulders. It is a sign of how Scott has gone from being just another midfielder in Manchester to the star of the Neapolitan people.
The Italian air has clearly done Mctominay wonders, and it has shown every single time he has made a public appearance since the move to the club. Be it his aura while moving on the pitch or the incredibly iconic fit that he wore to Wimbledon last year.
Mctominay is a clearly beloved part of this Napoli team. A new superstar for them to love and cherish. A proclaimed son of their god now, and with all the news around him, it is only natural that many Premier League teams will have their eye on him. Fortunately, for all our fans, Napoli’s sporting director, Giovanni Manna, came forward in an interview with GOAL and announced that they are positive about his future and expect him to stay. This interview came in the context of the sporting director discussing the futures of players like Kevin De Bruyne and current coach Antonio Conte.
“Scott still has two years left on his contract; we have an extremely healthy and transparent relationship with him and his representatives.
He has expressed a desire to stay at Napoli; we are discussing it, but we are in no rush – this is not the time to turn it into a media circus.
He is very important to us; we know this and we appreciate his value.”
With a future that looks bright and a city that cherishes him, it is only right to wonder: Will McTominay become a true Neapolitan legend? One who stays and completes his journey there. One that will fulfil his legacy and become the son of a Neapolitan God and the true heir to his throne.
