The next Scott McTominay? Jose Mourinho reveals what he told Scotland star as former Manchester United pair reunite in Benfica's victory over Napoli

Back in 2017, it was Mourinho who handed McTominay his senior bow for the Premier League heavyweights. He was introduced off the bench in a meeting with Arsenal in May of that year, before starting a final-day showdown with Crystal Palace.

At just 20 years of age, McTominay became a regular in the 2017-18 campaign - taking in 23 appearances and becoming a full international. There were plenty of occasions in which the versatile midfielder was favoured over World Cup winner Paul Pogba - who had been signed by the Red Devils for a world-record £89 million ($119m) transfer fee in 2016.

Mourinho was reunited with McTominay when seeing Benfica take on Napoli in elite European competition. They exchanged words afterwards, with the ‘Special One’ revealing that he was also handed a special gift.

At his press conference, Mourinho told reporters when asked about the accessories that he had with him: “The bag is mine. It’s McTominay’s shirt. I gave him his debut. I benched Pogba and let him play. The least he could do was give me the shirt!”

Mourinho went on to say of his chat with McTominay, which saw the Scot lauded for all that he has achieved since stepping out of a fabled youth system in Manchester: “I told him that the kids I put in today in the final minutes are my 'Next McTominay'. I've given many of them their debuts at Roma too. [Jose] Neto is 17, and I had to be the first to play him because he'll make history, trust me.”

While Mourinho was feeling upbeat after seeing goals from Richard Rios and Leandro Barreiro earn Benfica an impressive 2-0 victory over Napoli, he added on McTominay’s mood: “He was sad because he lost. That’s Scott, that’s the nature of winning players. He chatted with me for five minutes, but he lost, and he was sad.

“But he’s very happy in Naples. Winning the award for best foreign player is absolutely fantastic, it qualifies Scotland for the World Cup after so many years. He’s having a really, really good time. He gave Manchester United a real boost, and there’s a connection with him. When he’s 70, he’ll still remember me.”

Looking for smarter football bets? Get expert previews, data-driven predictions & winning insights with GOAL Tips on Telegram. Join our growing community now!

McTominay was recently named the Serie A Player of the Year for 2025, becoming the first Scot to win that prize. He savoured title glory with Napoli last season, posting a career-best return of 13 goals across all competitions.

McTominay and Co are back in the hunt for another domestic crown this term, sitting level on points with AC Milan at the top of the table, and Mourinho said of seeing Benfica claim a notable scalp on home soil: “We deserved it, we played an extraordinary match. Some will say that Napoli weren't the team we know, but I disagree. Benfica did an extraordinary job, controlling the game at all times. For us, beating Napoli like this and still being alive in this competition is a great thing.”

He went on to say: “We have six points. Benfica lost at home to Qarabag early on, otherwise we'd have nine and be one step away from qualifying. The schedule is incredibly tough, but losing that match put us on the edge right away. It was important to win today, otherwise the story would have ended.”

Benfica remain in contention for a Champions League play-off spot, which would extend their European adventure into the spring of 2026. Mourinho will be hoping to guide them down that path, having previously claimed the most prestigious of continental honours during his time with Porto and Inter.