Man Utd youngster Tyler Fletcher has recieved a late call up to the Scotland squad for this summer’s World Cup.
Tyler Fletcher is going to the World Cup.
“One man’s misfortune is another man’s opportunity.”
Napoli midfielder Billy Gilmour has been ruled out of the World Cup after suffering a knee injury in Scotland’s final friendly on home soil before the tournament, and Tyler Fletcher has been selected to replace him.
Manchester United youngster Fletcher only made his senior Scotland debut on Saturday afternoon. Less than 24 hours later, he’s flying to the United States to take part in the biggest stage of them all.
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Gilmour will be heartbroken to miss out on the World Cup, which Scotland are competing in for the first time since 1998, but his misfortune has opened a door to Fletcher, who was selected ahead of three other players.
Fletcher initially joined up with the Scotland squad to train with the senior group before they jetted off to the tournament, however, a dramatic chain of events has led to him getting a seat on the plane.
The defensive midfielder’s form in academy fixtures this season put him in contention for an unexpected call-up and, importantly, he impressed when he made his Scotland senior debut against Curacao on Saturday.
Experienced Scotland midfielder Kenny McClean reacted: “People speak about the future, but a lot of these young lads are the present. We have had a few in with us this week and I have been so impresse.
“Tyler came on, and I can’t speak highly enough of him. I said to the lads after his first session, ‘I can see something special in him,’ so I was glad he got on after the week he has had. In my first couple of Scotland squads I played with his dad. And, for me, in my first session, he [Darren] stood out a mile.
“Fortunately for Scotland, his son is pretty similar. There is a lot of potential there. It’s about using him in the right way. Hopefully he does that back at his club and then when he comes away here and when he gets the opportunity, he makes the impact he has this week.”
Fletcher only made his senior Scotland debut yesterday.
Darren Fletcher, along with Tyler’s twin brother Jack, was in the stands at Hampden Park to watch his debut, and the Fletcher family must be bursting with pride that Tyler is travelling to the World Cup.
It’s been quite a few weeks for the youngster, who was presented with the Denzil Haroun Reserve-Team Player of the Year award before the Nottingham Forest clash at Old Trafford, before making his second senior appearance for United against Brighton on the final day of the campaign.
It wasn’t long ago that Fletcher was seen as slightly in the shadow of his twin brother, Jack. His performances had gone under the radar to most supporters, but the Manchester Evening News highlighted his progress when chatting to former U21 boss Travis Binnion last year.
It was put to Binnion that Tyler’s season had been underrated. “He’s been outstanding,” said Binnion. “The fact is he gets into the best of the U21s on merit, like 100 per cent. He affects the game with the ball, the game without the ball and the game in the top third of the pitch.
“He’s looking strong, fit and there’s loads more to come from him, he’s not done by a long stretch. So yeah, underrated? Maybe because he hasn’t been with the first-team, and maybe because there are players who are a bit more eye-catching in the forward positions who maybe have numbers to support.
“But he’s not underrated by the staff, the club and the players. He’s excellent and like his brother [Jack], he’s got loads more to come, loads more physically to come.”
Jack Fletcher, his twin brother, was included in six senior squads by Ruben Amorim last season, but Tyler had to wait until this term to be named on the first-team bench for the first time in his career.
Carrick gave Fletcher his debut against Spurs in February.
Fletcher’s patience and consistency were rewarded in 2025/2026. He was first named in a senior squad against Newcastle in December, and Michael Carrick handed him his debut against Tottenham in February.
The youngster told MUTV: “It’s a mad day, I’m absolutely buzzing. It’s the best day of my life, it’s a dream come true. I’ve just got to thank everyone for supporting me, throughout the way.
“Not many people do it [make a debut]. I’m grateful it’s happened. To get on the pitch and play at Old Trafford is a special feeling. I found out I was in the squad yesterday, after the session. I got told you will be with the first team, you’ll be on the bench. I was buzzing with that.
“I was warming up in the last five minutes and five minutes got added on. I got the call and I was like, ‘No way is this happening’. I got told to go and enjoy it and make as many passes as you can, get as many touches as you can, and that’s what I did.”
Since making his senior bow against Spurs, Fletcher has been named on the bench 10 times out of 13, which culminated in him getting off the bench against Brighton at the Amex Stadium last weekend.
Fletcher wouldn’t have dreamt his second half of the campaign would get even better, but now he’s been drafted into Scotland’s World Cup squad, so he’ll be floating on a cloud during the flight across the Atlantic.
Fletcher pictured during his Scotland debut.
An academy source recently told the Manchester Evening News that there are “two or three players in the group” who could make the step up to the first-team on a permanent basis next season.
Fletcher is regarded in the category of academy prospects who have a genuine chance of permanently contributing to Carrick’s squad in a season when the fixture schedule will return to normal.
United played the fewest fixtures in a season for 100 years this term, but they will fight on four fronts next season, competing in the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup and Carabao Cup.
There will be more minutes to go around, more opportunities for academy prospects. Fletcher has made a strong impression on Carrick, and he should gain more confidence from being selected to go to the World Cup.
United signed the Fletcher twins from Manchester City for a combined fee of £1.25million in the summer of 2024 because they believed they had first-team potential. That deal could eventually be looked at as a bargain.
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