Billy Gilmour describes World Cup injury setback after Scotland return

Billy Gilmour has described the impact of the knee injury that kept him out of Scotland's World Cup campaign, after returning to international action under new head coach Sebastien Pocognoli. In an interview reported by BBC Sport on Tuesday, the Napoli midfielder explained how he eventually travelled to the tournament as a supporter, spending time with his family rather than taking part on the pitch.

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The 25-year-old was injured in Scotland's farewell match against Curacao at Hampden. He recalled hearing something when players fell on top of him and initially trying to continue. Once the consequences became clear, he took a few days away to process missing the competition before finding a different way to experience Scotland's summer in the United States.

Gilmour watched games in Boston and Miami and spent some evenings with the squad. He said captain Andy Robertson and then-manager Steve Clarke had encouraged him to prioritise time with his family if being around the players became too difficult. That allowed him to combine supporting his team-mates with experiencing the tournament alongside Scotland's travelling fans.

He was still in Miami when he learned that Clarke had resigned. Scotland are now working under Pocognoli, whose first match in charge ended in a 0-0 draw away to Slovenia on Saturday. BBC Sport highlighted Gilmour's second-half contribution, with the midfielder operating in a different role while Napoli team-mate Scott McTominay was absent as he recovered from a heart procedure.

Gilmour said he had enjoyed playing further forward when he was younger, although his priority remained simply being involved. His comments reflected a willingness to take on different responsibilities rather than a demand for a particular position. He also acknowledged his growing seniority in a Scotland squad that now includes a number of younger players.

Asked about the possibility of captaining Scotland in future, Gilmour said it would be a source of pride, but emphasised his support for Robertson. He praised the current captain's contribution to the national team and pointed to Robertson's pursuit of Kenny Dalglish's appearance record. He did not present a future leadership role as something already decided.