In Naples, the boundary between football and faith has always been tenuous, but this time a new boundary has been crossed. After the decisive goals of the last few days, Scott McTominay is not only the idol of the Azzurri fans: he has become a true object of worship. Since Sunday, his image has stood out in a votive chapel in the historic center, in via San Nicola al Nilo, a few steps from Spaccanapoli. A place where homage is usually paid to saints and madonnas, today it hosts the angelic face of the Scottish midfielder.
The author of the work is the street artist Abso, whose signature appears at the bottom right. But the installation – three meters above the ground – remains shrouded in mystery: no one knows when or how it appeared. Perhaps it is better this way, because like every self-respecting miracle, this one also seems to come from the sky. Instead of the traditional rosaries and candles, the newsstand has been completely “secularized”: inside, a Supersantos, the cult ball of street football, reigns supreme.
The effigy is accompanied by the now viral nickname "Mc fratm" and a circle with the word "N4," a direct reference to the fourth Scudetto Napoli dreams of sewn onto their chest. A symbol that will make even the most superstitious tremble, but it speaks volumes: in Naples, McTominay is more than just a footballer, he is the ultimate prophet of goals.
It's interesting to see how sport and faith can mix, but I don't know if it's right to elevate a footballer to a religious symbol. Perhaps the chapel should have remained dedicated to the saints, without modern figures like McTominay.