Ollie Watkins detects a winning demeanour similar to that of the Champions League winners Real Madrid in an England side one game away from a historic achievement in Berlin.
It was Watkins whose last-gasp goal against the Netherlands set up Sunday’s Euro 2024 final with Spain, reinforcing the notion that this England team have discovered a habit of finding ways to win even when the odds appear stacked against them.
Real Madrid have their own time-honoured knack of prevailing when all seems lost and it was revealing to hear Watkins make a direct comparison at England’s training camp on Friday.
The Aston Villa striker was asked about comments made by Harry Kane, who before the Netherlands game had described an “aura” that has begun to see England through tough times. “You see someone like Real Madrid in a Champions League game: they are comfortable without the ball, they have that confidence that when they get the ball they are going to score,” Watkins said.
“I feel like it is the same here. We are definitely hard to beat, then we just need that one chance and we can win the game. It doesn’t matter if we are playing poorly or if players are having an off day, we still have that world-class talent where we can pop up and get that goal.”
One of those players is Jude Bellingham, whose bicycle kick against Slovakia will rank alongside Watkins’ outstanding finish in England lore. Bellingham has been part of the Madrid team that Watkins admires and is viewed as a genuine contender for this year’s Ballon d’Or.
“Whatever happens, Jude should win the Ballon d’Or,” Watkins said. “The way he plays with such maturity, confidence, aura, I can’t speak any more highly of him. To see him transition from where he was … I played against him when he was at Birmingham and, even then, you’d have thought he was a seasoned pro.
“I remember being in one of my earlier [England] camps, I think he was 16 at the time and he still had confidence about him. It’s no surprise to see what he’s gone on and done.”
Watkins’ own rise has been spectacular and his journey from a loan at Weston-super-Mare in 2014-15, while on Exeter City’s books, is well documented. He spoke with obvious pleasure about breaking his duck for the sixth-tier side, recalling an exuberant celebration amid scenes rather different from those of Wednesday night.
“We played Ebbsfleet away. I scored and ran off, pulling my shirt up and there was one fan in the away end. That was my first goal for Weston. We had a long bus journey. ‘JR’, bless him, who has passed away now, he was the kit man and he used to make us potato, beans and cheese on the bus.
“It’s definitely very different [from the semi-final], him making us pre-match food on the bus. We got a half-cooked potato with some beans out the tin; we were on rations! Then we turn up and play. I remember one lad who turned up to the bus and he had paint all over his hands. That was his main job, so he’d just been painting before we travelled to a game. It was really good times.”
