Aston Villa and England striker Ollie Watkins is confident he can replicate his Euro 2024 heroics at the World Cup in North America, embracing his designated role as a 'finisher' off the bench behind Harry Kane.
Watkins' Euro 2024 Heroics
Two years ago, Watkins etched his name into English football history by scoring a last-minute winner against the Netherlands in the Euro 2024 semi-final, propelling England to the final. Now, at 30, he finds himself in a familiar position: starting on the bench but ready to make an impact.
In Wednesday's Group L opener against Croatia, Watkins remained an unused substitute, but he insists he understands the tournament dynamics. 'I feel like I understand the competition now, I understand that everyone has their moment, everyone has a part to play and, when I see other players having their moment, I'm really happy for them,' he said.
Embracing the Substitute Role
Watkins believes there is no pressure on him to perform when called upon. 'I feel like there's no pressure on me to come on at the end of the day. I think the expectation for me is people don't see me playing, obviously they see Harry playing, but I know what I can bring to the table,' he explained.
He highlighted the tactical advantage of entering a game late. 'I watch the game when I'm on the bench, I can see the game opens up. It's a completely different game when you start a game of football than when you finish it. I've experienced that as a substitute, there are so many more opportunities when you come on. A lot of people are tired, they lose focus and sometimes it can be better to be a substitute than to start the game.'
Confidence from Past Success
Watkins drew on his past experience to boost his confidence. 'I've spoken about it so many times before, I said I was going to score that day and I did. It's the best feeling to come on and change the game and I'm hoping to do that again this tournament.'
His place in the squad was uncertain after being omitted from Thomas Tuchel's March roster, but a strong end to the season with Aston Villa—including Europa League glory and a top-four Premier League finish—secured his spot on the plane.
Advice from Michael Owen
Watkins has been consulting former England striker Michael Owen for over a year, who advised him to be less 'nice' on the pitch. 'There were times where I was maybe a bit too nice on the pitch,' Watkins admitted. 'He just gave me an insight on how he felt I could improve and at the end of the day I felt like Michael Owen was underrated really. I think people don't talk about how good he was. Maybe just because it was the start of his career, he had that amazing run. I think if it was later on his career, people would talk about him a lot or hold him in a lot higher regard. I just reached out to him and it's good that I've got a player of that quality to use as a sound board.'
Looking Ahead
As England progresses in the tournament, Watkins remains ready to seize his moment. With his proven ability to change games from the bench, he could once again become a key figure for the Three Lions.
