Serie A champion with Napoli, nominated for the Golden Ball - Scott McTominay has had the most brilliant 12 months of his career. But leading the national team to qualify for the World Cup for the first time in more than a quarter of a century is what makes him most proud.
The drama in the last 10 minutes at Hampden Park was so big that McTominay's beautiful comeback bicycle was almost overshadowed. It was not even the best goal of the night. But that was the moment that opened a chaotic and glorious evening.
We have seen similar bicycle kicks coming back in the past. Scott McTominay's goal is reminiscent of Gareth Bale's superb goal in the 2018 Champions League final against Liverpool, or Jude Bellingham's classic drop shot for England against Slovakia at EURO last year.
Both of these stars wore Real Madrid's jersey when creating those masterpieces. And McTominay, with his beautiful drop-off moment, has become a true symbol of Scots football - a very unique " Galacticos" of the Scots.
On a passionate night in Glasgow, Scotland needed a moment to calm down. A goal met that expectation and its beauty caused the whole stadium to explode.
However, McTominay calmly returned to celebrate and reassure those around him. With his experience and composure, the midfielder could have predicted the next developments in the match.
That is the focus that helps a team overcome adversity. A team that may have lost to Greece but still survived the good luck against Belarus, then just a few days later defeated a top team in Denmark. A team can lose a central defender right before the match, then lose a star winger due to an early injury, but still know how to overcome all difficulties.
A team can use a 42-year-old goalkeeper, but still have an attack that is capable of overshadowing opponents. Scotland have captain Andy Robertson and another hero, John McGinn. But there is no doubt that the representative for the team at this time is Scott McTominay.
A notable point in McTominay's development process is that he has fully matured in the Scotland national team jersey. Now, it is hard to imagine that in Scotland's first major tournament in 23 years - EURO 2020 - where they face the biggest challenges, McTominay will take up most of his time in the centre-back position.
Looking back at the tournament more than 4 years ago, Scotland may not have really deserved the spotlight - just like McTominay at that time did not quite deserve recognition.
At EURO 2024, McTominay was seen as an attack threat, but he has yet to reach world class. Scotland are the same, leading to their early elimination.
But now, Scotland have affirmed their position on the biggest stage, at a time when their star was at the peak of his form. Both McTominay and the national team are fully exploiting their potential.
McTominay's versatility in position throughout his career has caused him to be misunderstood for a long time. At Manchester United, he is often seen as a "water carrier" - a defensive midfielder who does quiet work, in contrast to attracting attention, as he has shone brilliantly in Napoli and Scotland recently.
