Thomas Tuchel’s already decided on Ollie Watkins and Morgan Rogers fate for England’s 2026 World Cup squad
Ollie Watkins and Morgan Rogers will be desperate to be on the plane for the 2026 World Cup.
The Aston Villa duo have cemented themselves in the squad in recent times, with Watkins being crucial to England’s success in the 2024 Euros.
While players such as Rogers have been poor at Villa Park so far this season, they were still called up for the latest round of international fixtures.
Here, the duo, alongside Ezri Konsa, helped England qualify for the 2026 World Cup in October.
However, despite this success, their spot on the plane to North America in the summer is not guaranteed.
Ollie Watkins and Morgan Rogers expected to be in England’s World Cup squad
Given how good Konsa has been for England, it is widely expected that the centre-back will be in Thomas Tuchel’s squad come the end of the season.
However, for Rogers and Watkins, there is plenty of debate to be had.
So far this season, Watkins has been awful for Aston Villa and has only netted once in the Premier League.
This is in vast contrast to his previous form at Villa Park, with the striker usually being a dependable attacker in Unai Emery’s side.
- Watkins is now a regular for England, picking up 20 caps since 2021, scoring six times
- In comparison, Rogers has nine caps for the Three Lions
- The winger netted his first England goal in the 3-0 victory over Wales last week
Now, with the tournament closing in, the Daily Mail’s Craig Hope on 15 October has given his take on the Villa duo.
Analysing the pair’s chances of making it on the plane, the journalist believes both players will make the squad.
He said: “Further forward, Morgan Rogers had looked to have grasped his opportunity in the absence of Bellingham, at least until a subdued showing against Latvia. But before that he had done very well, and Tuchel will like him for that.
“Had he flopped, there would have been criticism of the manager for his handling of Bellingham. Rogers, you suspect, will be rewarded for those performances.
“His club-mate Ollie Watkins will also be included, in part because there are so few alternatives at centre-forward. He also has that semi-final goal against Netherlands at Euro 2024 to his name, and Tuchel knows such moments could settle tight games next summer.”
2026 World Cup could help Aston Villa duo return to form
Given Watkins and Rogers’ poor start to the season, the 2026 World Cup could be exactly the motivation they need to return to form.
England no doubt has a chance of winning the upcoming tournament, and the pair will not want to miss out on this potential piece of history.
Watkins has already written himself into the Three Lions’ history books for his late goal against the Netherlands in the Euro 2024 semi-finals.
Now, under Tuchel, England will be looking to go one step further, with the Villa duo looking to become the difference-makers.
Enjoyed this article? Stay connected with all the latest Aston Villa news, updates, and behind-the-scenes content by following us on our new Instagram account – @villanews247