Ollie Watkins: Why being dropped by England boss Thomas Tuchel was a blessing in disguise

The Aston Villa talisman has opened up on the moment his international future seemed uncertain, describing his omission from the England squad in March as a "blessing in disguise." At the time, Tuchel opted against selecting the striker for high-profile friendlies against Uruguay and Japan, a decision that many thought would end Watkins' hopes of making the plane for the upcoming World Cup.

Reflecting on the disappointment while at England's pre-World Cup training camp in Florida, Watkins admitted the snub served as a wake-up call. He said: "To be fair, before the March camp, I had started to pick up my form. I scored an important goal and had some big performances against Lille in the round of 16. So my form was starting to pick up, I think it was a blessing in disguise. Sometimes, when something gets taken away from you, you realise how important it is, and it gives you that fire in your belly to come back and show people what you can do."

The 30-year-old’s response to the setback was nothing short of sensational, embarking on a prolific run of 11 goals in 12 matches. This surge in form was instrumental in guiding Unai Emery’s side to a historic top-four finish in the Premier League and lifting the Europa League trophy. Watkins credits his mental resilience for his ability to win back his place in the national setup under Tuchel ahead of the summer tournament.

"The manager always had faith in me," Watkins explained. "So, it is nice I could repay him with the performances and goals and to show I deserved to be here. I felt in the big moments, when the team needed me, I stepped up and came up with some big goals and some big performances."

Despite his stellar form, Watkins faces stiff competition for minutes behind captain Harry Kane. Ivan Toney remains a direct rival for the role of England's super-sub, fresh off a prolific season where he netted 42 goals across all competitions for Saudi side Al-Ahli. Toney also boasts tournament impact, having featured three times as a substitute in Euro 2024, including a vital assist in the 2-1 round-of-16 victory over Slovakia. However, Watkins, who came off the bench to score the vital winner in the semi-final against Netherlands, believes that having different types of strikers only benefits the Three Lions' chances of success on the world stage.

"Everyone’s got a part to play in this competition, whether it’s early stages, later stages, we just have to be ready, and we’re all working together as a team to achieve something special," Watkins said regarding the squad depth. Discussing his relationship with Toney, he added: "I think it’s good, me and Ivan are different players, and you need that, you need to have versatility. At the end of the day, Ivan’s a proven goalscorer, he’s shown it throughout all his career. Even in the last Euros, there were times where he came on when the team needed him, and then I had my moment, obviously, in the semi-final as well. I think it’s amazing that we’ve got Ive [Toney] here as he’s a clinical goalscorer."

Watkins boasts a solid international pedigree, having earned 20 caps for England and netting six goals. His tournament resilience was on full display during Euro 2024, where he featured three times as a substitute, famously scoring the dramatic late winner in the 2-1 semi-final triumph over the Netherlands. On the domestic front, the forward enjoyed a historic 2025-2026 campaign; he helped fire Aston Villa to a monumental Europa League title - ending the club's 44-year drought for a major trophy - while racking up an impressive 21 goals across all competitions throughout the season.