Levi Rothermund
Watkins to lead England attack as Kane ruled out of Wales friendly
England head coach Thomas Tuchel is set to hand Ollie Watkins his first start since November when the Three Lions host Wales at Wembley on 2025-10-09.
Captain Harry Kane picked up a foot injury while playing for Bayern Munich at the weekend and has been withdrawn from the Wales game. The striker remains in contention for England’s World Cup qualifier against Latvia on 2025-10-14.
With Kane unavailable, Watkins looks likely to lead the line as the lone centre-forward against Craig Bellamy’s side. The Aston Villa striker, 29, has been a regular in the squad since his England debut in March 2021 and brings pace and movement to Tuchel’s frontline.
Watkins’ last start came in the 3-1 Nations League win in Greece in November 2024, when he scored under interim boss Lee Carsley. He also produced a memorable 90th-minute winner in England’s Euro 2024 semi-final victory over the Netherlands, a goal that sent them into the final.
Club form has been mixed. With Villa struggling early this season Watkins has found the net only once so far, his goal coming in a 3-1 win over Fulham.
Declan Rice will wear the armband in Kane’s absence. Tuchel confirmed on Monday that Rice, 26, is the preferred captain pick; Jordan Henderson and John Stones were also mentioned among the options.
The match offers Tuchel a chance to see his forward options in a competitive setting without risking key players ahead of the qualifier next week. Wales arrive under Bellamy looking to test England’s depth and unsettle the hosts early.
For Watkins it is an opportunity to stake a claim for the starting role should Kane’s recovery take longer than expected. For England, the friendly is a final tune-up before returning focus to the path to the World Cup.