Football
OllieWatkins - the forward built by movement and patient progress
Ollie Watkins is an England forward born in Torquay on 30 December 1995. He developed at Exeter City, established himself at Brentford and then became a leading Premier League striker with Aston Villa before moving to Al Hilal.
Who is progress
His route began outside the Premier League spotlight
Watkins played grassroots football for Newton Town and Buckland Athletic before joining Exeter’s academy. Three first-team seasons earned a move to Brentford, where 45 goals in more than 130 appearances proved he could lead an attack every week.
Intelligent runs became his strongest skill
He does not wait in one central position. Watkins moves across the line, attacks the channel and creates space for a teammate before returning to the penalty area. That work helped him reach 100 Aston Villa goals in 269 appearances.
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Position | Forward |
| Born | 30 December 1995 |
| England record | 24 caps, 7 goals |
| Height | 180 cm |
England remember one finish above the rest
Watkins scored on his England debut against San Marino in 2021. His defining international moment came at Euro 2024, when his 90th-minute winner against the Netherlands sent England into the final. He now has 24 caps and seven senior goals.