World Cup 2026: What’s behind Scott McTomin’s understated start for Scotland?

Across his 72 caps, the Napoli hero has scored 15 goals and provided two assists, but those stats make his contribution a disservice.

He has been the man of the big occasion in so many matches. His first goal was the winner against Israel in 2021, it was his brace that famously beat Spain at Hampden, then of course we did that night against the Danes.

Now at the World Cup, he has immense expectations of turning the matches around with Tartan Army hero John McGinn.

Against Haiti, where McTominay hit the post with a stunning goal, BBC Sport audiences rated three players better than him In salmon pink, his 5.09 rating against Morocco was seven Scots ahead of him.

But is it fair?

Against Haiti, McTomine completed 93% of his passes – the second-highest in the starting XI – dropping to 89% on Friday night – the team’s third-highest.

He managed two shots on goal in both games, one more than he managed when he was the hero against Denmark in November.

Against Haiti, McTominay covered more than 12 kilometers, the most distance of any player on the park. Against Morocco, he was ahead of Lewis Ferguson by an additional 369 metres.

Stomach upset was a story that scared the Scotland support into attacking Boston before their opener, but he still played. Did he run the show? No, yet an unstoppable Scotland still got the job done in a 1-0 win.

Against Morocco, the Scots got off to a lightning start from the Africa Cup of Nations winners, which undoubtedly rocked them.

But, as the game progressed, from just before half-time and into the second period, their grip on the game grew stronger, albeit without a clear chance presenting themselves at the other end.