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Scotland star ends 72-day absence as international teammates kick off new era under six time title winner Scotland international returns from injury in friendly draw Scotland international Billy Gilmour completed a major step in his comeback from the injury which ruined his World Cup dreams as Napoli kicked off their new era under iconic Italian manager Massimiliano Allegri at the weekend. Gilmour, 25, had his hopes of representing Scotland at this summer’s World Cup dashed when he suffered a heartbreaking knee injury in the team’s send-off game against Curacao at Hampden Park in May, with the midfielder forced off early in the 4-1 win before being replaced by Tyler Fletcher in the 26-man squad for the tournament. The former Brighton, Chelsea and Rangers man admitted it was a difficult injury to accept, saying: “Being so close to a childhood dream of mine, to play in a World Cup and now it has been taken away from me with an injury. It's been a tough one to get my head around. I'll see you all back doing what I love again soon, but until then, let's get behind the team.” Now, 72 days on, the midfielder has taken the next steps in his recovery after playing the final 30 minutes of Napoli’s opening pre-season draw against Celta Vigo at Stadio Teofilo Patini, located in the mountain town of Castel di Sangro. Taking the lead in the 11th minute of the game with a strike from Giovanni Di Lorenzo, the Scotland star was introduced as a 60th-minute substitute, replacing his international teammate Scott McTominay for the final half hour of the friendly clash. While their Spanish opponents found an equaliser through Ferran Jutgla shortly afterwards, the sight of Gilmour back in action will be a major boost to whoever replaces Steve Clarke as Scotland head coach, with an appointment set to be made this month. Clarke stepped down from his role as Scotland manager following the group stage exit from the World Cup last month, meaning that both Gilmour and teammate McTominay will enter a new era at both club and international level this coming season. The duo were signed on the same day in September 2024 by former head coach Antonio Conte, and won the Serie A title in their debut season at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium. However, after failing to defend their title last season, finishing 11 points behind Inter Milan, the 57-year-old had his contract terminated by mutual consent. He was later replaced by six-time title winner Allegri as head coach of Partenopei. According to reports in Italy last week, the new Napoli boss is hoping to build his new-look midfield around Scotland star McTominay, with the club looking to reward their key man with a contract extension until the summer of 2030. Formal negotiations are expected to get underway when the summer transfer window closes. On his first outing as Napoli boss, Allegri used the former Manchester United man as the focal point of his 4-3-3 system during the pre-season test against Celta Vigo, and intends to use McTominay in a role just behind the attack, allowing him to operate near the opponent's penalty area. Comments Want to join the conversation? Please or to comment on this article.