Billy Gilmour Eyes World Cup Dream Ahead of 50th Scotland Cap

Scotland midfielder Billy Gilmour is set to earn his 50th cap for his country in an upcoming match against Slovenia, reflecting on a career path marked by significant highs and lows.

Introduced to the national team by manager Steve Clarke before Euro 2020, Gilmour quickly established himself with a standout performance against England at Wembley. His technical ability was further highlighted as an integral part of the squad that qualified for Euro 2024, cementing his reputation as one of Scotland's most gifted players.

However, his journey has not been without its setbacks. A knee injury sustained against Curacao in May ruled him out of contention for the World Cup, a moment Gilmour described as his "lowest point in football." The injury, confirmed by scans, dashed his childhood dream of participating in the global tournament.

"It was tough," Gilmour recalled of the period following the injury. "Of course, you go out in the game and you’re 90 minutes away from a World Cup, and the first thing you’re thinking is, ‘Okay, no stupid tackles’, all that stuff. And it happens. You’re dreading it."

He recounted the difficult conversation with Steve Clarke after the match where he received the news. Clarke, however, offered support, inviting Gilmour to remain with the squad during the World Cup, an offer the player accepted to experience the tournament from a different perspective.

"I knew I wanted to go," Gilmour stated. "It didn’t cross my mind not to go. I think when I left it a couple of days, it was, ‘Okay, I want to go’. The family’s all booked up, friends are all booked up, so it would only be me staying in Scotland watching the games, dwelling on it. So, I thought, go over there, experience it all, experience it from a fan perspective and I did."

This experience, while not playing on the field, provided a unique insight into the broader support and atmosphere surrounding the national team, which Gilmour found fulfilling and cathartic. "That’s it, you don’t get to see the other side of it, like the Tartan Army, the amount of stuff like the parades and all that, the baseball, even just in local parks, the Scotland HQ thing," he said. "All that stuff I got to witness and see, I did it with my family and friends, and it was nice. Of course, you want to be on the pitch playing, but it was a great experience. It just makes you think when you put on the shirt how much it means to the fans and all that restarts you again."

Reflecting on his debut five years prior against the Netherlands, Gilmour noted how far he has come. He also recalled the nerves and excitement he felt before his first start against England at Wembley.

His career has also included a loan spell at Norwich City and two successful seasons with Brighton, followed by a £12 million move to Napoli, where he secured a Serie A title in his first season.

Now 25, Gilmour feels he has matured significantly since his early days in the Scotland setup. "I’m a lot more mature," he said. "Coming into squads all the time and constantly being the youngest, the older boys always look out for you and help you. Now, as you’re getting older, a lot of new faces have come in, especially this camp, so it’s more of a responsibility. Helping them, keeping them right on the same track, and trying to push forward with what the manager and the skipper would say, how we want to play and how we want to push forward as a nation."

He remains driven by the World Cup dream, inspired by Clarke's encouragement to aim for the next tournament. "That was a dream. I’d been at the Euros, but I wanted to go to a World Cup and play, feel how it felt. It’s something I still want to do. I want to go to a World Cup."