Gilmour ruled out as Scotland count down to Haiti opener

It's here – Scotland open their World Cup on Saturday

Scotland's first World Cup match in 28 years kicks off on Saturday against Haiti in Charlotte. It's the moment fans have waited for since 1998.

John McGinn says the squad is adapting to the North Carolina heat but the occasion will carry them through. "When the real stuff starts on Saturday it doesn't matter what temperature it is, Scotland at a World Cup can turn it up even more," he said (4).

The mood in camp is sky-high after Saturday's 4–0 demolition of Bolivia in their final warm-up (4). Eight goals across two friendlies, Lawrence Shankland firing, Andy Robertson on the verge of becoming Scotland's most capped men's player. Everything feels aligned.

Gilmour out of the World Cup

Billy Gilmour has been ruled out of the entire tournament after picking up an injury against Curaçao (1). It's a crushing blow. Scotland's player pool is shallow and every absence hurts disproportionately.

Gilmour was expected to be a key figure in midfield alongside McGinn. His technical composure and ability to dictate tempo will be hard to replace in a squad that relies on its collective cohesion.

Norway call Scotland 'unprofessional' over cancelled friendly

The cancelled training-ground friendly against Norway has sparked a furious reaction from Norwegian boss Stale Solbakken.

"It is unprofessional of Scotland," Solbakken said. "It is unprofessional that the coach has not called me, that they use the team manager and call and say it after we have finished training. It's disappointing. It's unprofessional" (1) (2).

Scotland pulled out citing injuries, but Solbakken isn't buying it. "I don't think the injuries they're blaming came from the last training session. That's not the case," he added (6). Norway drew 1–1 with Morocco in their own friendly on Sunday, with Martin Odegaard and Brahim Diaz featuring (6).

The last time Scotland were on this stage

Scotland went unbeaten through the 1974 World Cup group stage, beating Zaire and drawing with Brazil and Yugoslavia, but still went home. Joe Jordan and Davie Hay were part of that side, a team remembered as much for its heartbreak as its quality (5).

This time feels different. The group is winnable, the squad is tight, and Steve Clarke has them drilled. No one is talking about moral victories anymore.

Fan reactions

Scotland fans on Reddit are feeling the Gilmour injury deeply. One supporter posted that "every injury is a terrible one" given Scotland's limited player pool, asking other fans to share their own nation's injury woes to soften the blow (Reddit: r/worldcup). The anxiety is real, but so is the sense that this squad has enough belief to make an impression regardless.