The 25-year-old Napoli midfielder – who was at Carrow Road on loan from Chelsea in 2021-22 – was cruelly ruled out of the tournament in North America after picking up a knee problem in the warm-up game against Curacao at Hampden.
Scotland begin their first World Cup campaign in 28 years with a game against Haiti in the Boston Stadium, Foxborough, in the early hours of Sunday morning (UK time) before taking on Morocco at the same venue and finishing their Group C campaign with a glamorous game against Brazil in Miami as they look to reach the knockout stages of the tournament for the first time.
Gilmour’s former Norwich team-mate Kenny McLean, who missed the delayed 2020 Euros with a knee injury, revealed Gilmour’s arrival with empathy, sympathy and words of encouragement.
“Billy has just landed,” said the 34-year-old Canaries skipper. “He is going to come to see the lads tonight, which is amazing.
“It is his birthday today as well so happy birthday, Billy – I think he has just turned 17!
“But he’s going to be here.
“He obviously wants to experience things around the lads and also in and around the city with the fans and soak in the atmosphere.
“He deserves so much more but there is going to be so much more opportunity.
“I mention the young lads (like Tyler Fletcher), there is going to be so much more opportunity for Billy.
“I know it’s not what he wants to hear right now, but there will be.
“What an amazing talent, what an amazing young man and it will be good to see him.”
Fletcher replaced Gilmour in the Scotland party, and has impressed his more senior colleagues.
“I spoke to the older lads after his first session, I saw the quality he had,” said McLean. “I saw the ability, the way he received the ball, the small things. I could see it right away. Throughout the week he grew in confidence. I could see that he was starting to express himself more. Obviously us as older lads, we want to bring the best out of the younger lads to help them express themselves.
“We are in good hands going forward. Obviously the one who missed out was Lennon (Miller), who again his ability is through the roof, his ceiling is so high.
“There is more opportunity for him in the future as well. Tyler is here just now and I hope he takes this experience in, the opportunity he has got. He is doing himself no harm in training, let me tell you that.”
