IT is over 30 years now since Diego Armando Maradona Franco departed Italy after seven eventful, often controversial, but undeniably brilliant seasons as a player with Napoli.
The high esteem which the late Argentinian superstar is held in by the ultra fanatical Gli Azzurri supporters, though, has not diminished any during that time.
His presence still looms large in the Campania capital to this day.
“Yeah, very much so,” said Scott McTominay, the Scotland midfielder who joined the three-time Serie A champions in a record £26m transfer from Manchester United this summer, at Hampden yesterday.
“He is obviously the most iconic footballer to ever play the game. When I first walked into the stadium (which was renamed after their most famous former player following his death in 2020) it was a surreal feeling knowing he is an icon, an absolute legend of football. He is heavily in our hearts in Naples.
“The people absolutely adore him, which is a huge factor because of how well he played for them and the things that he did in Naples. For us, he is definitely in our head and hearts.”
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Gracing the same hallowed turf as former World Cup winner Maradona, who many knowledgeable judges contend is the greatest player of all time, did in the 1980s and 1990s has clearly inspired McTominay.
He has endeared himself to the notoriously hard-to-please Napoli supporters with his stand-out performances and goals for Antonio Conte’s team – the current league leaders – during the past four months and will take to the field in the Nations League match against Croatia this evening in fine form.
The 56-times capped 27-year-old has been frustrated at the narrow defeats which Scotland has suffered in Group A1 at the hands tonight’s visitors as well as Poland and Portugal since returning to action after a disappointing Euro 2024 finals.
But he certainly has high hopes for the future. “I feel like we're learning all the time,” he said. “Getting to two major tournaments was amazing and everyone was happy about that. But the actual players in the dressing room were saying, ‘No we want to go further’.
McTominay continued: “I always give my absolute best, no matter where I'm playing my football. The things that I've done throughout my career have always given me the best platform to play as well as I possibly can do.
“That's all I really focus on to be honest. I don't think about any external things. Football is my sole driving force, my life, and I just want to play as good as I can every time I get on the pitch.”
McTominay has never been short of confidence in his own ability. Still, the Italians’ winning mentality appears to be rubbing off on him. He has loved every minute of his time in the football-obsessed country and feels the move has been beneficial to him both professionally and personally.
“Obviously, it was a big decision, there's no denying that,” he said. “It was a huge decision for me and my family and my friends. At times like that in your life you just have to say, ‘Do I want to do it? Absolutely, go for it’. There's no looking back. I've never had any regrets in my life or my career and I'll continue that way.
“So for me, I want my career to be successful and I'm going to go out of my way to try and push myself to be the best football player and best person that I can possibly be as well.”
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McTominay added: “I've got great people around me who help me so much and the stress in my life is very minimal because. I've got a really good family, amazing friends and a lovely girlfriend who do so much for me. I'm very grateful for them.
“Obviously it's not easy going abroad and having to settle in, but it's been quite seamless to be fair. The Italian people have helped me settle in to my house and whatever and with other things, if I need like a car or a taxi or anything like that. I'm very grateful to them too. They're really great people who I'm very thankful for as well.”
“Italian is difficult,” he said. “It's not easy, but I'm trying my best. Obviously, it does take some time. I'm trying my best to learn and be respectful to their culture and obviously look like I'm trying my best to learn.”
“I would say Billy is better than me. But it's similar to be fair. We're both picking up things as we go along in terms of understanding different phrases and stuff like that. I'm enjoying it.
“I'm playing in Italy and that's a great opportunity for me to go and try and impress my manager over there and play as much as I possibly can to help us succeed in every game we play.
“No matter where you play football, you're always going to learn different things and pick up different things. But for me, I just want to play as good as I possibly can.
“It’s not about speaking too much and saying anything about how I'm getting on. I just want to get my head on, crack on and train and be as fit as I possibly can and give myself the best platform to succeed whenever I am on the pitch.”
