Former Roma midfielder Radja Nainggolan has hit out at ex-Man United man Scott McTominay, branding the Scot ‘average’ despite his impressive spell in Italy.
McTominay, 29, has found a new lease of life since leaving Old Trafford for Napoli in 2024 in a £25.7million move that left some raising eyebrows.
After a mixed time with United, McTominay has lit up Serie A, winning the league’s Player of the Season award last season as he led Napoli to the division title.
He has also bagged 26 goals in nearly two seasons at the club – but that is not enough for Nainggolan. The Belgian, who played for Roma between 2014 and 2018 and Inter Milan from 2018 to 2021, has slated the midfielder’s play, going against the number of plaudits he has received in recent times.
‘I don’t like him,’ Nainggolan told Sky Calcio Unplugged. ‘He scores a lot of goals, but in general play… he’ll always get 12, 13, 14 goals, but if he has to build play he doesn’t have the technique to operate between the lines.
‘He’s an average player.’
Scott McTominay (pictured) has been branded an ‘average player’ by Radja Nainggolan
Former Serie A bad boy Radja Nainggolan (left) said he ‘doesn’t like’ McTominay and claimed he was better in his prime
Nainggolan has never been one to shy away from his opinion. And, still playing for Patro Eisden in the second tier in Belgium, he clearly rated himself highly in his prime.
‘At my peak I was better than him (McTominay) and Hakan Calhanoglu, but I put Nicolo Barella above myself,’ he continued. ‘He doesn’t always score many goals, but when he does they are important, and you can always feel the difference when he plays.
‘I really like Kevin De Bruyne, he sees things others don’t. I’d put him above me. And if you mention Luka Modric… he has always been one of the best in the world.’
In 2024, Nainggolan criticised his country’s ‘Golden Generation’ for having ‘too many divas’ while regularly coming up short during international tournaments.
The 37-year-old was part of the nation’s best ever squad, which has slowly dissolved after failing to make a single major final in a time when they boasted some of the world’s best players.
He said: ‘We had Lukaku, Hazard, De Bruyne, Courtois. When you put all these players together, there are too many protagonists, too many divas.
‘They all wanted to be protagonists, to be the most important player, and that can’t work.’
In 2022, meanwhile, Nainggolan was arrested for being behind the wheel when his driver’s licence had expired and was seen smoking an e-cigarette on the bench ahead of a match.
The Belgian has a long career in Serie A and has become known for his strong opinions
McTominay had a mixed time at Manchester United before leaving the club in 2024
Last year, he was charged with participation in a criminal organization as part of a probe into cocaine trafficking, the Brussels public prosecutor’s office.
The prosecutor’s office said Nainggolan was released on conditions. His next court date was not specified.
