Scotland’s preparations for the World Cup suffer a major blow after confirmation Billy Gilmour will not travel. The Napoli midfielder sustained a knee injury during the 4-1 friendly win over Curacao at Hampden Park on Saturday. Scotland now lose a key midfielder before the country’s first finals appearance since 1998.
Gilmour was forced off in the 42nd minute against Curacao after going down injured near midfield. Medical staff treated Gilmour on the pitch before the substitution. Subsequent assessment confirmed the severity of the knee problem and ruled the 23-year-old out of Scotland’s ninth World Cup finals campaign.
Steve Clarke described the news as a harsh setback for a player central to Scotland’s progress. Clarke said Gilmour had been
vital throughout qualifying and that the timing felt especially harsh. The Scotland coach stressed Gilmour’s importance in and around the squad during the build-up to the tournament.
Scotland will face Haiti, Morocco and Brazil in the group stage and are targeting a first appearance in the knockout rounds. Gilmour, capped 46 times with two international goals, would likely have started in midfield. His absence increases the focus on other central options as Scotland seek stability against varied opponents.
Clarke is now weighing up replacement choices, with Tyler Fletcher, son of Darren Fletcher, among possible call-ups. The head coach highlighted several young midfielders already under consideration and training near the senior group. Clarke said: "I've got Connor Barron, Andy Irving, Lennon Miller, and you see for yourself how good young Tyler is. The three that I mentioned are on standby. Obviously, Tyler joined us this week. He's trained well this week, so he's a little bit closer than the other three, but I'd need to have a big discussion with my staff and decide the best way to go. "
The Scottish FA confirmed the diagnosis in a public statement following the Curacao match. That message underlined the collective disappointment within the squad and staff. It also reiterated support for Gilmour as rehabilitation begins ahead of future international campaigns.
We regret to announce that the knee injury sustained by Billy Gilmour in todays win over Curaao will rule him out of participation in @FIFAWorldCup. We're all with you, BillyScotland National Team (@ScotlandNT) May 30, 2026
Clarke must now settle on a final squad balance in midfield before the tournament begins. The decision over Gilmour’s replacement will shape Scotland’s approach against Haiti, Morocco and Brazil. Supporters, including many across the Middle East, will watch how Scotland adapt after losing one of the side’s most influential players.
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