Scott McTominay Nominated for 2025 Ballon d’Or After Stunning Season at Napoli

Scott McTominay has been nominated for the 2025 Ballon d’Or following his outstanding debut season with Napoli.

The former Manchester United midfielder scored 16 goals in 48 appearances across all competitions, helping the club lift the Serie A title under Antonio Conte.

After years of being viewed as a squad player at Old Trafford, McTominay’s €25 million move to Naples last summer proved transformative.

Conte deployed the 28-year-old in a more advanced midfield role, which has helped get the best out of the Scotsman.

McTominay’s form earned him Serie A Player of the Year, cementing his place among Europe’s top performers in 2024–25.

PSG’s Ousmane Dembele and Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal are the front-runners, according to US betting sites, with McTominay being among the outside contenders.

Scott McTominay Ballon d’Or Nomination

The Ballon d’Or, awarded annually to the best footballer in the world, has typically gone to global icons like Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Luka Modric.

McTominay’s inclusion in the 2025 shortlist is a testament to his turnaround in Italy.

A key moment came on the final matchday of the Serie A season, when he opened the scoring in Napoli’s title-clinching 2–0 win over Cagliari.

Napoli’s run also saw strong contributions from Romelu Lukaku, another ex-Manchester United player, but it was McTominay’s consistency, versatility, and attacking output from midfield that earned him personal accolades and admiration across Europe.

McTominay’s Serie A Turnaround

Just over a year ago, McTominay was struggling for minutes under Erik ten Hag. But a conversation with Scotland manager Steve Clarke helped reset his mindset.

“Sometimes you just need to enjoy football and play with a smile,” McTominay said. “That talk lifted a weight off my shoulders.”

Since then, he’s become one of Europe’s best-performing midfielders and has become the blueprint for other underachieving players to follow.

In a city where Diego Maradona is revered like a saint, McTominay has found his own cult following. Supporters have nicknamed him “McFratm” — a blend of his surname and the Neapolitan word “fratm,” meaning “brother”.

He even has a mural across parts of Naples, showing how deeply the fans have embraced his work rate, goals, and leadership.

The full list of 2025 Ballon d’Or nominees will be released on August 7, with the winner announced at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris on September 22.

Though he is very unlikely to win it, McTominay’s Ballon d’Or nod is validation for his bold move to Italy and goes to show how much a change of scenery can unlock a player’s potential.