In the 17th minute, McTominay positioned himself perfectly to meet Matteo Politano's cross from the right wing, guiding a header into the near corner to open the scoring. The former Manchester United midfielder nearly doubled his tally moments before halftime, but his curling effort from outside the box struck the crossbar.

Scott McTominay celebrates his opening goal with Kevin De Bruyne during Napoli's 2-0 win against Sassuolo in their Serie A opener at Citta del Tricolore Stadium, Reggio Emilia, Italy, 23/8/2025. _Photo: Reuters_

De Bruyne added a second goal in the 57th minute. His free-kick from the left touchline sailed over everyone in the box and curled into the far corner, leaving goalkeeper Stefano Turati with no chance.

The goal marked a successful debut for De Bruyne. At 34 years and 56 days old, he became the oldest outfield player to start for Napoli in a Serie A match since the 1994-1995 season.

"The message from pre-season was that we had to continue from where we left off last season," McTominay told DAZN after the match. "A win against a tough opponent is very important. The whole team remains hungry and humble."

The Scottish midfielder, the Serie A player of the year for the 2024-2025 season and a key figure in Napoli's second Scudetto win in three years, also praised newcomer De Bruyne.

"De Bruyne doesn't need advice from me; I'm the one who needs advice from him," the 28-year-old said. "It's great to have him on the team, bringing his many qualities. He's new here, but he's fit in as if he's been here for 5 years. Team spirit is the most important thing, and he's also very humble."

Scott McTominay (right) and De Bruyne pose for a photo after the match. _Photo: Napoli_

Meanwhile, De Bruyne acknowledged he is still adapting to his new surroundings. "This is a different way of playing and working," the Belgian midfielder expressed. "I have to adjust, both individually and collectively, we can still play better. I came here to integrate into the existing style of play, not for them to adapt to me. My teammates have helped me a lot, showing me how to play in Italy, and I also try to share my experience. Things are progressing well, but we still have to continue to improve."

Elsewhere in Serie A on Sunday, AC Milan lost 2-1 at home to Cremonese in 39-year-old Luka Modric's debut, while Roma defeated Bologna 1-0 thanks to a goal from Wesley Franca.

Hong Duy