Why Watkins Could Have an Important Role to Play for Tuchel’s England This Summer

Make no mistake, Harry Kane is England’s main man. The Bayern Munich goal-machine has just had a remarkable season for Bayern Munich, scoring 61 goals.

However, the 32-year-old is unlikely to play every minute for the Three Lions, so Aston Villa ace Ollie Watkins could have a pivotal role to play for the English national team this summer.

Kane’s Incredible Campaign

Kane has just had an unbelievable season for Bayern, scoring 19 more goals than any other player in Europe’s top five leagues. He also matched Cristiano Ronaldo’s record for most club goals in a single season.

Kane made a monumental contribution to Bayern’s campaign, as his goals helped the Bavarians win the Bundesliga and the DFB-Pokal and reach the UEFA Champions League semi-finals.

Kane scored three goals or more on five occasions, including hat-tricks in Bayern’s last two games of the season. He also netted five times for the England national team, bagging two braces along the way.

Still England’s Main Man

Kane has been a crucial player for England since making his senior debut over a decade ago. He was a massive part of the teams that reached the World Cup semi-finals in 2018 and back-to-back UEFA European Championship finals in 2020 and 2024.

Since Tuchel took over as England boss at the start of 2025, Kane has scored nine times for the German. He netted his 70th international goal in the 2-0 victory over Albania in March 2025 and has added eight more since. With 78 goals to his name, Kane is England’s record scorer.

The England captain will be a focal point in attack this summer. He may have lost a bit of pace, but his eye for a goal is seemingly better than ever. After a sensational club season, the Three Lions No. 9 is hungry for success with his nation.

Going by the latest World Cup football odds, Kane is among the favourites to win the World Cup Golden Boot. He was the top scorer in the 2018 World Cup, netting six times. Kane could also be in the running for the World Cup Golden Ball in North America.

Watkins Ready to Step Up

While all eyes will be on Kane this summer, the skipper is unlikely to play every minute. If England want to go all the way, they will have to play eight games in the gruelling North American heat.

Tuchel made some surprise inclusions and omissions from his World Cup squad. As the likes of Cole Palmer, Phil Foden, and Morgan Gibbs-White were left out, Watkins and Ivan Toney were included in the 26-man team.

While the addition of Watkins was no real surprise, Toney’s inclusion was a shock for most. The former Brentford man, who now plays in Saudi Arabia, has made just one substitute appearance under Tuchel and has not featured for his national side for a year.

Watkins was dropped by the England boss for the March friendlies against Uruguay and Japan, leaving his World Cup hopes hanging by a thread. However, he responded in the best possible way, scoring a hatful of goals for Villa at the end of the 2025-26 season to force his way back into Tuchel’s World Cup plans.

Watkins has been on fire since March, scoring a staggering 13 goals in 16 games for the Villans. He helped his side finish fourth in the Premier League and win the UEFA Europa League. On the final day of the league season, Watkins netted twice in a 2-1 win at Manchester City.

His most famous goal in an England shirt came in the Euro 2024 semi-final against Netherlands, coming off the bench to replace Kane in the 81st minute and score a last-gasp winner. Will we see something similar unfold in North America this summer?