Billy Gilmour: Scotland midfielder ruled out of World Cup with knee injury
Billy Gilmour went off injured in the first half of Scotland's World Cup warm-up win over Curacao at Hampden; Napoli midfielder will return to his club; Scotland's first World Cup game vs Haiti is on June 14
Sunday 31 May 2026 14:01, UK
Scotland midfielder Billy Gilmour has been ruled out of the World Cup after suffering a knee injury in the win over Curacao.
The 24-year-old fell to the turf with no one around him in the first half of the 4-1 victory over Dick Advocaat's side at Hampden and was immediately substituted.
A scan after the game revealed Gilmour has damaged his knee and he will now return to his club side Napoli for rehabilitation.
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The midfielder has been replaced in the squad by Manchester United teenager Tyler Fletcher. The 19-year-old has been training with Steve Clarke's squad this week and made his international debut against Curacao when he came on at half-time.
Fletcher is the son of former Man Utd midfielder Darren, who played 80 times for Scotland.
Scotland's first World Cup game is against Haiti in Boston in a little over two weeks.
Scotland boss Steve Clarke said: "I am devastated for Billy because he has been an integral part of our World Cup qualifying campaign. The timing of this injury is so, so cruel and we all feel for him.
"He knows what we all think of him as a footballer and a person and while no words will give him any comfort tonight, I am certain Billy will have many major tournaments ahead of him in the future."
'Red card changed the dynamic of the game'
Scotland struggled against Curacao in the early stages and found themselves 1-0 down after Tahith Chong's goal but a red card for Jurgen Locadia seven minutes before the interval swung the game back in Scotland's favour, even if Clarke would rather that both sides kept a full complement on the pitch.
"The red card obviously changes the whole dynamic of the game and from there, at least, against the 10 we managed to start creating chances and got a few goals," he said.
"It is obviously nice to win any international game, but I think it would have been better if it stayed 11 vs 11 and then we'd have been asked more questions about finding the spaces on the pitch - could we create the chances that we created against 10 men against 11? That would have been a better exercise for us."
