Billy Gilmour facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Billy Gilmour

Gilmour playing for Norwich City in 2021
Personal information
Full name	Billy Clifford Gilmour
Date of birth	(2001-06-11) 11 June 2001 (age 24)
Place of birth	Irvine, Scotland
Height	5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)
Position(s)	Defensive midfielder
Team information
Current team	Napoli
Number	6
Youth career
2009–2017	Rangers
2017–2019	Chelsea
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2019–2022	Chelsea	11	(0)
2021–2022	→ Norwich City (loan)	24	(0)
2022–2024	Brighton & Hove Albion	46	(0)
2024–	Napoli	26	(0)
International career‡
2015–2016	Scotland U15	1	(0)
2016–2017	Scotland U16	1	(0)
2017–2018	Scotland U17	7	(2)
2017–2019	Scotland U19	7	(3)
2018–2021	Scotland U21	12	(1)
2021–	Scotland	40	(2)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 00:52, 10 June 2025 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 9 June 2025

Billy Clifford Gilmour (born on June 11, 2001) is a Scottish professional footballer. He plays as a defensive midfielder for the Italian club Napoli and the Scotland national team. Many people think he is one of Scotland's best players. He is known for his excellent passing and midfield skills.

Billy Gilmour started his football journey at a young age with Rangers. He trained with their main team when he was only 15. In 2017, he moved to Chelsea. He played 22 games for Chelsea and was a substitute in their Champions League and FA Cup finals in 2021. He then played on loan for Norwich City for one season. After that, he joined Brighton & Hove Albion in September 2022. In August 2024, Gilmour made a permanent move to the Italian team Napoli.

Gilmour has played for Scotland at many youth levels. These include the under-15, under-16, under-17, under-19, and under-21 teams. He made his debut for the senior Scotland team in 2021. He was part of Scotland's squad for UEFA Euro 2020 and UEFA Euro 2024. He has played 40 international games for Scotland.

Early Life and Football Dreams

Billy Gilmour was born on June 11, 2001, in Irvine, Ayrshire, Scotland. He grew up in Ardrossan, North Ayrshire. His father, William Gilmour, was also a footballer. Billy went to Stanley Primary School and Grange Academy. At Grange Academy, he was part of a special football program.

Billy looked up to famous midfielders like Cesc Fàbregas, Luka Modrić, and Andrés Iniesta. He wanted to play like them.

Club Career Highlights

Starting at Rangers

Gilmour first spent a short time with Celtic. Then, he moved to Rangers because it was easier for him to get to training. He played his first game for Rangers' under-20 team in December 2016 when he was just 15. The manager, Mark Warburton, even invited him to train with the main team.

Rangers wanted Gilmour to stay, but he decided to join Chelsea in 2017.

Time at Chelsea

Youth Team Success

Billy officially joined Chelsea in July 2017 after his 16th birthday. He played for their under-18 team. He scored a goal in his first game against Arsenal and kept scoring in his next two games. In July 2018, when he turned 17, Gilmour signed his first professional contract with Chelsea.

Breaking into the First Team

Gilmour playing for Chelsea in 2019

In 2019, Chelsea's new manager, Frank Lampard, gave Gilmour his first chance to play for the senior team. This was in a friendly game against Bohemians. His first official game was in the Premier League in August against Sheffield United. He played the full 90 minutes in a big 7–1 win against Grimsby Town in the EFL Cup.

In February 2020, Gilmour became a full-time member of the Chelsea first team. He played amazingly in a 2–0 win against Liverpool in the FA Cup. He also started his first Premier League game against Everton, where he was named "Man of the Match." He played 11 games for Chelsea in the 2019–20 season. He also won the club's "Academy Player of the Year" award.

Champions League Experience

In December 2020, Gilmour made his first start in the UEFA Champions League against Krasnodar. He was a substitute when Chelsea won the 2021 UEFA Champions League Final against Manchester City in May 2021.

Loan to Norwich City

In July 2021, Gilmour went on loan to Norwich City for a season. He played 28 games for them. However, Norwich City finished last in the 2021–22 Premier League and were moved down to a lower league. In June 2022, Chelsea extended Gilmour's contract.

Moving to Brighton & Hove Albion

On September 1, 2022, Gilmour joined Brighton & Hove Albion. He signed a four-year deal with the club. He made his first start for Brighton in November, helping them win an EFL Cup game against Arsenal. His first Premier League start for Brighton was in December against Arsenal.

In April 2023, Gilmour played a full game in Brighton's huge 6–0 win against Wolverhampton Wanderers. He also started in important wins against Manchester United and Arsenal. Brighton finished 6th in the Premier League that season. This meant they qualified for the Europa League for the first time ever! On September 21, 2023, Gilmour played in Brighton's first-ever European match against AEK Athens.

Joining Napoli

On August 30, 2024, Billy Gilmour moved to the Italian club Napoli. He signed a five-year contract. His Scotland teammate Scott McTominay also joined Napoli on the same day. By the end of the 2024–25 season, Napoli won Serie A, which is Italy's top football league. This was Gilmour's first league title in his career.

International Career for Scotland

Gilmour playing for Scotland U19 in 2019

Gilmour played for Scotland's youth teams, including the under-16s and under-17s. He scored his first international goal for the under-17 team against England. He also played for the under-21 team in the 2018 Toulon Tournament. He won an award for being the "Revelation of the Tournament."

Billy Gilmour was chosen for the Scotland senior team for UEFA Euro 2020. He made his full international debut on June 2, 2021, in a friendly game against the Netherlands. He made his first start for Scotland in a game against England on June 18, where he was named "Man of the Match."

He continued to play for Scotland in their World Cup qualifiers. His performances were highly praised, and he won "Man of the Match" again in a 1–0 win over Moldova. On October 17, 2023, Gilmour scored his first goal for the senior Scotland team in a friendly match against France.

On June 7, 2024, Gilmour was named in Scotland's squad for UEFA Euro 2024 in Germany. He played in games against Germany, Switzerland, and Hungary. On June 9, 2025, Gilmour earned his 40th cap for Scotland in a 4–0 win against Liechtenstein.

Career Statistics

Club

International

Scores and results list Scotland's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Gilmour goal.

List of international goals scored by Billy Gilmour

No.	Date	Venue	Cap	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	17 October 2023	Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France	22	France	1–0	1–4	Friendly
2	5 September 2024	Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland	31	Poland	1–2	2–3	2024–25 UEFA Nations League A

Honours and Awards

Chelsea Youth

• U18 Premier League: 2017–18
• FA Youth Cup: 2017–18

Chelsea

• UEFA Champions League: 2020–21
• FA Cup runner-up: 2020–21

Napoli

• Serie A: 2024–25

Individual Awards

• Toulon Tournament Breakthrough of the Tournament: 2018
• Toulon Tournament Best XI: 2018
• Chelsea Academy Player of the Season: 2019–20

See also

In Spanish: Billy Gilmour para niños