He is 20 years old.
Billy Gilmour is 20 years old.
And he is already unreal.
At what was his first international start, Gilmour absolutely tore it up for Scotland. He passed through England’s midfield with so much class and calm, as if the opportunity did not bother him at all.
You could tell early on what it was like for Gilmour. He was matched with Chelsea teammate Mason Mount and looked like he wanted to eat the Englishman alive, get into a physical fight and not be afraid to rough up his team’s players for the season.
Not only was Gilmour not afraid, but he actively loved it. Everything he did was done with a well-deserved arrogance and spin, but above all it was done with so much quality.
Gilmour was the best / Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA / Getty Images
Almost every workout he did was perfect. He could sniff out the danger and play out of it like a player who is ten years old. He controlled the game, dictated the pace and put in the kind of performance that England wanted to see from Mount.
Gilmour was deservedly named man of the match, even though he took off with 15 minutes left. He had made such an impact on the game that no one could darken him with a little extra time.
He now has man-of-the-match trophies from his first Scotland start, his first Premier League start and his first FA Cup start. No matter what challenge you throw in front of Gilmour, he will definitely hit the park.
??????? Congratulations, Billy Gilmour! The star of the match at his first start in Scotland ??? # EUROSOTM | @Heineken | # EURO2020 pic.twitter.com/jNTdIah8iN
– UEFA EURO 2020 (@ EURO2020) 18 June 2021
This was the beginning of what will be a long international career for Gilmour, and it may even prove to be the catalyst for a longer run in the Chelsea team. There is no way a master tactician like Thomas Tuchel has seen this and has not been impressed by Gilmour.
It’s almost scary how bright the future is for Gilmour. He is so young but already so complex and talented, and his style of play is one that can see him stay on top of the football mountain for many, many years to come.
For more from Tom Gott, follow him on Twitter!
