Leaving MU for 1 year, McTominay instantly became a sensation at the Ballon d'Or

Former MU player McTominay made an impact by securing 18th place at the 2025 Ballon d'Or ceremony.

Scott McTominay ranked 18th in the Ballon d'Or standings before the award for the world's best footballer in 2025 was given to Dembele. The Scottish midfielder emerged as one of the most influential players in European football after helping Napoli win their 4th Serie A title in the club’s history last season.

McTominay joined Napoli in the summer of 2024 for a transfer fee of £25 million and scored 12 goals in the victory that led coach Antonio Conte's team to clinch the Scudetto over Inter Milan. The 28-year-old netted a decisive and iconic goal against Cagliari in the title-deciding match.

McTominay’s 18th place finish put him ahead of Rice (27th), Haaland (26th), and Bellingham (23rd). He is the first Scottish male player nominated for the Ballon d'Or since Ally McCoist in 1987, ranking just behind Barcelona’s striker Robert Lewandowski at 17th and Vinicius Jr at 16th. Denis Law remains the only Scottish player to have won this prestigious award.

McTominay’s outstanding performances last season earned him the Serie A Player of the Year award as well as the league title. Therefore, it’s no surprise that McTominay became the highest-ranked Serie A player at the 2025 Ballon d'Or ceremony. Inter star Denzel Dumfries placed 25th and Lautaro Martinez came in 20th.

After just one year playing for Napoli following his decision to leave MU, McTominay went from being a fringe player at the Red Devils to breaking into the top 18 of the men’s Ballon d'Or. This clearly shows his remarkable progress and proves that his choice to leave MU was entirely justified.

McTominay developed through MU’s academy, where he once dreamed of spending his entire career. However, the reality at Old Trafford was harsh. For many years, he was deployed in unsuitable roles ranging from center-back to defensive midfielder, positions that did not utilize his strengths of attacking the penalty area and scoring goals. Even after scoring 10 goals in the 2023/24 season, McTominay was not included in the club’s future plans.