Scotland Under-21 midfielder Billy Gilmour admits he hopes being named Revelation of the Tournament is just the start of his journey to become a sensation for both Chelsea and his country.
The teenager, who turns 17 today, was a stand out in starting three of Scotland’s five matches in Toulon as Scot Gemmill’s side made it all the way to the semi-finals for a second successive year.
The highlight of the former Rangers player’s tournament was his exquisite strike in the 2-1 victory over South Korea, making him the youngest player to score for Scotland at under-21 level.
Gilmour, who was also handed the armband by Greg Taylor during Saturday’s third place play-off loss to Turkey, is now determined to build on the success of his under-21s breakthrough.
Speaking to scottishfa.co.uk, he said: “It’s a tremendous honour to have won Revelation of the Tournament and I’d like to thank those who voted for me.
“It’s nice to win the award but this is just the start. I really want to keep progressing and make my mark for Chelsea and Scotland.
“This whole experience has been great for my confidence and I’m already looking forward to getting back in to training with Chelsea to try and push on again next season.
“I’ve had a lot to be grateful for between my time in the Performance School system and the opportunities I got initially at Rangers before moving to London.”
Gilmour insists head coach Gemmill and his team-mates helped make the step up from under-17 football seamless.
He added: “I’d also like to thank Scot Gemmill for showing the faith in me that he has – first of all to select me for the squad and then give me the chance to play.
“The same applies to my team-mates. It’s an individual honour but I wouldn’t have got anywhere without them on the pitch. Everything we did in France, we did together.”
