Scott McTominay will not train with the Scotland squad on Thursday because of illness, but the early signs are that this is a short interruption rather than a serious problem. The 29-year-old has a stomach issue, and reports from both BBC Sport and The Independent say he is expected to be available for Sunday's World Cup opener against Haiti.
Why Scotland are not panicking
There is a reason this has not become a major alarm. BBC Sport said there is no concern about his availability for Sunday's opener, while The Independent said both players are expected to be fit for the Group C curtain-raiser in Boston. That is as far as anyone can go right now, though. No source has confirmed a full medical clearance or a return to training.
The game itself gives the story its edge. Scotland start their first World Cup campaign since 1998 against Haiti on Sunday, so even a missed session gets attention. Steve Clarke will want his midfield leader back in the group as soon as possible, but the available reporting points to a brief illness, not a longer fitness issue.
McTominay's Napoli form still matters
The reason this matters beyond one training session is that McTominay has arrived in good club form with Napoli. He scored in Saturday's 4-0 friendly win over Bolivia, and the Independent noted that he scored 12 league goals in the 2024-25 season as Napoli stormed to the Serie A title under Antonio Conte.
His recent numbers back that up. Across his last five Napoli matches, his ratings average is 7.26. He has scored 2 goals in his last 5 Napoli matches, including one in the 3-0 win at Pisa and another in the 4-0 win over Cremonese. If Scotland want a calm start in Boston, having that version of McTominay available matters more than one missed session on Thursday.
The open question is not whether this has become a serious setback, because there is no evidence for that. It is whether he gets through the final run-up cleanly. For now, the signs point to him being ready for Haiti on Sunday.
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