Was McTominay unlucky to not get Spoty nomination?

A shortlist of six contenders has been announced for the 2025 BBC Sports Personality of the Year award, with some unhappy that Napoli midfielder Scott McTominay has not made the cut.

The nominees are England footballers Hannah Hampton and Chloe Kelly, rugby union player Ellie Kildunne, darts player Luke Littler, golfer Rory McIlroy and Formula 1 driver Lando Norris.

Journalist Henry Winter posted on social media his surprise at the Scotland midfielder not being nominated for Sports Personality.

“Scott McTominay a surprise omission from SPOTY short-list?” he wrote. “Won Scudetto, voted Serie A Player of the Year, nominated for Ballon d’Or, helped Scotland qualify for World Cup, scored vital/spectacular goal against Denmark that’s surely a Puskas Awards contender. Amazing year.”

Scottish Daily Express editor Ben Borland added: “Can any of [the nominees] really say they’ve had a better year than McTominay? The inclusion of two members of the Lionesses team, heroic and ‘inspiring’ as they may be, will be a particular bone of contention for Scottish football fans – and indeed football fans worldwide.”

The shortlist is based on sporting merit and is selected by a panel chosen for its breadth of expertise and representation across the sporting landscape.

McTominay has been in fine form since joining Napoli in the summer of 2024 from Manchester United.

He was a key player as the Italian side won the Serie A title in May 2025 scoring 13 times in 36 appearances including a spectacular scissor kick against Cagliari on the last day of the season that sent Napoli on their way to winning the league.

He was named Serie A player of the year and was then nominated in the top 20 best players in the world at the Ballon d’Or.

Last season’s success was only the fourth Serie A title in Napoli’s history and McTominay became the face of manager Antonio Conte’s revolution.

The 29-year-old has also impressed on the international stage for Scotland, netting the opener with a stunning overhead kick as they beat Denmark 4-2 to seal a place at next summer’s World Cup – Scotland’s first since 1998.

At the time, Scotland boss Steve Clarke referred to his goal as “the best overhead kick I’ve ever seen.”

Other prizes awarded on SPOTY night include Young Sports Personality of the Year, Team of the Year, Coach of the Year, Lifetime Achievement and the Helen Rollason Award.