Scotland's Steve Clarke Expresses Concern for Injured Billy Gilmour Ahead of World Cup
Scotland's head coach Steve Clarke expressed his deep concern for midfielder Billy Gilmour, who suffered an injury during the team’s 4-1 victory over Curacao on the eve of the World Cup. The 24-year-old midfielder went down in the first half of the match without any contact from an opponent and had to be substituted immediately. Clarke stated, "One big disappointment is the injury to Billy and we are just waiting on it being assessed and we'll find out how bad it is." Following the match, Gilmour underwent a scan to determine the extent of his injury, raising worries about his availability for Scotland’s opening World Cup game against Haiti, scheduled in Boston in just over two weeks. Clarke added, "I am 100 per cent worried. He hurt himself in the tackle then made the decision to take himself off - he knew it wasn't right. There's no point speculating, let's wait and see what the medics say. I'm sitting here hoping and praying he's on the plane." In Gilmour's absence, Findlay Curtis scored his first senior international goal, equalizing for Scotland after they initially fell behind to a goal from Tahith Chong. A double from Lawrence Shankland and a penalty from Ryan Christie secured the win. The match’s dynamics shifted significantly after a red card shown to Jurgen Locadia seven minutes before halftime. Clarke noted, "The red card obviously changes the whole dynamic of the game... 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." As Scotland prepares for the World Cup, the fate of Gilmour remains a critical concern.
Source: Sky Sports - 2026-05-30