Patrick Dorgu has brushed off suggestions that Manchester United are worse off without Scott McTominay, whose latest heroics helped Scotland qualify for the 2026 World Cup next summer at the expense of Dorgu’s Denmark.
McTominay’s overhead kick in the final qualifier between the nations in Glasgow this week set Scotland on the way to an eventual 4–2 win and could land the midfielder a 2026 Puskás Award nomination.
Denmark will have to make do with a second chance in the UFEA playoffs.
Since leaving Manchester United for Napoli in 2024, McTominay has reached new levels. He often bore the brunt of criticism aimed at a general lack of quality in the overall squad towards the end of his time with the club—22 years in total.
West Ham United were interested in signing him in 2023, but a £30 million ($39.3 million) offer was rejected due to a combination of the club wanting more than £40 million and then manager Erik ten Hag’s desire to keep him. Eventually, the Red Devils accepted significantly less—a reported £25.7 million—the following year.
Napoli reaped the reward of a reborn McTominay, flourishing into one of the best midfielders in the world during the 2024–25 season. His 12 goals fired Napoli to the Serie A title, while he was named the league’s player of the year and even got a nomination for the 2025 Ballon d’Or. An 18th-place finish was only marginally behind Vinícius Júnior and Robert Lewandowski.
