Scott McTominay shatters Ballon d'Or glass ceiling as Napoli hero pips Van Dijk and Haaland in star-studded list
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Scott McTominay has seen his stellar debut season at Napoli further rewarded by a top 20 finish in the 2025 Ballon d'Or standings.
The former Manchester United star only arrived in Italy in a £25million move 12 months ago but banged in 13 Serie A goals to help Antonio Conte's side win the Scudetto for the second time in three years and only the fourth time in their history.
McTominay's exploits also saw him crowned as the league's player of the year, with the 28-year-old already a household name at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium.
He has been adorned with murals and shrines throughout the city, with Napoli fans dubbing him with a new nickname, 'McFratm'.
And now McTominay's efforts have been recognised on the world stage, with the midfielder finishing 18th in the race for the Ballon d'Or.
He has finished above a whole host of stellar names including Liverpool captain and ex Celtic star Virgil van Dijk, Manchester City goal machine Erling Haaland, Real Madrid sensation Jude Bellingham and Arsenal's Declan Rice.
The all-action midfielder is only the fifth Scottish male to be nominated for the award and the first since 1987 – following on from Ally McCoist, Kenny Dalglish, Jimmy Johnstone and Denis Law.
Scotland record goal scorer and Man United legend Law famously won the Ballon D'Or in 1964 and later helped the Red Devils lift the European Cup four years later.
Man United icon Nicky Butt has rued the club's decision to flog the Tartan Army hero last summer but is proud to see McTominay achieve 'god-like status at Napoli.
He added: Scott would be the first to sit here and say he was not the most gifted and talented footballer on the planet, which I wasn't, Roy Keane wasn't.
"And that is what Scott has done.
Scott had the disappointment of leaving Man Utd.
"I felt that was wrong to let him go because he is one of your own, he would run through brick walls for you, a Manchester United fan from a family of Manchester United fans.
"It is the same old thing.
You don't know what you have got until you've not got it.
"But when you've got that kind of drive, which Scott has and obviously Roy had, you get yourself through the levels.
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"He is a God in Napoli now.
It is great.
"He has earned all that.
He has grafted, worked hard, had knockbacks and fair play to him he is a player now.
"If he'd stayed, he might have stagnated and never got better."