England Merchandise England Tickets
Published 04 September 2025 4 min read
England Men's Senior Team

Ollie Watkins remembers five of his most memorable England games

Written by:

Holly Hunt

The England Aston Villa forward talks his goal against the Netherlands at EURO 2024, his debut and more

MATCH CENTRE: ENGLAND V ANDORRA

Since making his England bow over four years ago, marking his debut with a goal, Ollie Watkins has produced game-changing moments for the Three Lions.

Ahead of Saturday’s World Cup Qualifier against Andorra at Villa Park – where the 29-year-old plays his club football – the Aston Villa forward looks back on five of his most memorable games in an England shirt.

England 5-0 San Marino - March 2021, World Cup Qualifier

"To score on your England debut is something that not many players do. I can remember the goal clear as day. As I struck it, it went in slow motion, going through the defenders’ legs into the bottom corner. It was a great feeling all round. I think it was my only shot of the game actually.

"I remember trying to look for the ball for the first ten or 15 minutes and nobody was passing it to me. I eventually got into a good area and I thought, ‘I’m not passing this, I’m going to shoot’.

"It was the March camp and it was my first experience being in international football. I was a bit nervous and didn’t know what to expect really but I thought I’d treat it as if it’s my last camp. In the build-up to the game, I was just thinking, ‘I hope I get to make my debut today’. Thankfully, I got to play."

England 3-0 Cote d’Ivoire - March 2022, International Match

"I’d waited a while for my first start. There was a few camps I’d had to pull of out through injury where I was going to get the opportunity. This time with my family there and a full Wembley was nice.

"I can remember it was a good game. I was enjoying it and then they got a red card which kind of killed the momentum of the game. After that, it was slow and they sat behind the ball as any team would with ten men.

"I got a goal in the six-yard box – I’ve scored a few like that for England, just a nice tap-in. Normally, me and Harry Kane would do alternate games or sometimes he’d play two on the bounce and I’d come on, so it was nice I was getting my first start."

England 1-0 Australia - October 2023, International Match

"I had an opportunity in the first half where I went around the keeper and hit the post but I thought, ‘there’s no way I’m coming off the pitch without a goal today’. I could just feel it.

"In the second half, I tapped in Jack Grealish’s shot that was going wide and got the 1-0 win. I was desperate really because at the end of the season before that, I was on a really good goalscoring run and I thought I was going to get a call-up but I didn’t, so I kept pushing and pushing.

"I was delighted to just get back in the squad after a lot of hard work, then carried on my place moving forward into the EUROs."

Denmark 1-1 England - July 2024, UEFA EURO 2024

"It’s special making your tournament debut. The previous EUROs I had missed out and I was watching as a fan with my family and friends. The build-up of the matchdays, you see the atmosphere around the whole of England and the country where everyone wants to play in those tournaments and the buzz around it. To have the honour to be one of the short few to do that was amazing.

"I was sat down last night speaking to Myles Lewis-Skelly who is 18 and at his age, I was out on loan in non-league so everyone has different journeys but ultimately, we’re here in the same place.

"To play for England when I’d been on loan at one point playing at Weston-super-Mare, I’ve got to where I’ve wanted to get to, just in a different trajectory from other players. I wouldn’t have it any other way."

Netherlands 1-2 England - July 2024, UEFA EURO 2024

"I can remember Jude Bellingham saying to me a couple of minutes before I scored, ‘if you get the ball near the box, be greedy and just shoot’. I’ve turned and I’ve hit it perfectly into the bottom corner.

"I remember Cole had the ball and I thought I’d just run. I didn’t think he was actually going to pass it because I thought he may want to pass it out wide and we’d go up the pitch slowly, but he’s passed it and I thought I had nothing to lose.

"I knew I was going to do it but when it actually happened, I was shocked because I’d said before to Cole that was I was going to do that and then it happened and I think you can’t prepare for anything like that.

"At that moment, everyone knew that the game was over and we were into the final, so it was an unbelievable feeling. I didn’t sleep that night – I must’ve had an hour’s sleep but I didn’t feel tired the next day. I was just living off adrenaline for a good few days. I couldn’t quite believe what I’d done."

ENGLAND MEN'S NEWS & FEATURES

SEE MORE
4 min read

Report: England MU18s 3-1 Ukbekistan

3 Sep 2025