Featured Image Credit: Getty
Topics: Scott Mctominay, Manchester United, Ballon d'Or, Football, Premier League, Serie A
Ben McCrum
Topics: Scott Mctominay, Manchester United, Ballon d'Or, Football, Premier League, Serie A
The insulting nickname that a Manchester United player gave Scott McTominay has resurfaced after he earned a nomination for the Ballon d'Or.
On Thursday afternoon, a post on the official social media account confirmed the nominees for the 2025 Ballon d'Or award ahead of the ceremony in Paris next month.
Although there were some surprise omissions, some of the biggest names made it onto the the 30-player shortlist, with the likes of Ousmane Dembele, Mohamed Salah, Lamine Yamal and Harry Kane all making the cut.
Undoubtedly, the player that received the most attention following the announcement that he had been nominated was former United midfielder McTominay, who left Old Trafford to join Napoli in August last year.
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Following the Scot's nomination, details of the embarrassing nickname that one player gave him during his spell at United have emerged online, and it hasn't aged well.
Having played for United's academy as a youth player, McTominay spent a total of 22 years as a Red Devil before leaving to move to the Serie A as part of a £25.7m deal with Napoli last summer.
Since then, the 28-year-old has completely transformed his career, finishing the 2024/25 season with 12 Serie A goals while Napoli won the league and McTominay was named Serie A's MVP (most valuable player).
But his success in Italy won't be a welcome sight to every one of his former teammates, as a report from Manchester Evening News previously revealed that a United teammate once labelled McTominay a "teacher's pet" during his time at the club.
The report claims that the jealous teammate was frustrated with the midfielder's ability to endear himself to each of the managers that were in charge of United while he played there.
McTominay enjoyed a key role in United's team under Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Michael Carrick, Ralf Rangnick and Erik ten Hag.
Even United legend Sir Alex Ferguson is a big fan of the Scotland international having signed him to the youth academy during his 26 year spell as United boss.
He said in 2021: “Scott McTominay is now emerging as one of Man United's big players. When you watch Man United pick their team for a big game, McTominay's name is in it.
"He's a good character, a great trainer. I know a little bit about the boy and I think that's the background
“I signed him when he was seven or eight years of age and he was actually a centre-forward as a kid."