Ollie Watkins withdraws from England squad with minor injury

England have been dealt a setback ahead of their upcoming fixtures, with striker Ollie Watkins withdrawing from the squad due to injury.

The Aston Villa forward, who played a pivotal role in England’s run to the Euro 2024 semi-finals, had joined up with Thomas Tuchel’s side for their training camp in Spain.

However, the Football Association has confirmed that Watkins will play no part in the June international break, as a precaution over a minor issue.

“Ollie Watkins will play no part in England’s forthcoming fixtures against Andorra and Senegal,” the FA said in a statement.

“The Aston Villa striker has withdrawn from the squad as a precaution due to a minor injury. A 25-man squad will now continue preparations for Saturday’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier at RCDE Stadium in Barcelona.”

Saturday’s clash with Andorra marks England’s third Group K qualifier as they look to maintain a perfect start on the road to the 2026 World Cup. The Three Lions opened the campaign with wins over Albania and Latvia at Wembley in March and are heavy favourites to continue that run against the 164th-ranked side in the world.

Ollie Watkins has withdrawn from the #ThreeLions camp as a precaution due to a minor injury.

— England (@England) June 6, 2025

Despite the gulf in quality between the two sides, head coach Thomas Tuchel has called for patience and focus from his players, stressing the importance of energy and discipline against what is likely to be a deep-lying Andorran defence.

Speaking ahead of the match, Tuchel said: “This is not the easiest moment in the calendar for an international break.

“The players come off a short holiday, they come from a long and demanding season. It’s important not to expect too much, too soon.

Tuchel also addressed comparisons being drawn between England’s upcoming fixture and Thursday’s thrilling Nations League semi-final between Spain and France, where the Euro 2024 champions claimed a dramatic 5-4 victory.

“It’s not fair to expect that kind of match on Saturday night,” Tuchel added.

“Spain vs France was one of the highest levels of football in Europe right now, offensively brilliant, a real spectacle. That’s not the same context as our World Cup qualifier against Andorra.”

After facing Andorra in Barcelona, England will return home to host Senegal in a friendly at Nottingham Forest’s City Ground on Tuesday. The fixture will offer Tuchel further opportunity to experiment with his squad and build momentum ahead of the September internationals.

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