The England national team heads into the 2026 World Cup with an abundance of attacking options.
Although Harry Kane remains the undisputed first-choice striker, competition for attacking positions was intense right up until the final squad announcement.
Several forwards showcased impressive form throughout the 2025/2026 season.
However, only a select few made it into manager Thomas Tuchel’s final 26-man squad for the world’s biggest football tournament.
One of the forwards trusted to join the squad is Ollie Watkins.
The Aston Villa striker believes that the diversity in the characteristics of England’s attacking players will be a major asset in their pursuit of glory at the 2026 World Cup.
Watkins is joined in the squad by Al Ahli striker Ivan Toney.
Both players managed to edge out other contenders such as Danny Welbeck and Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who also enjoyed productive campaigns last season.
Watkins’ performances certainly deserve recognition. The 30-year-old forward finished as the top English scorer in the Premier League last season with 16 goals.
In total, he netted 21 goals across all competitions, playing a crucial role in helping Aston Villa secure the Europa League title.
Meanwhile, Ivan Toney also shone for Al Ahli in the Saudi Pro League, scoring 32 goals in 32 matches—ranking second only to Julian Quinones in the league’s top scorers list.
Toney even outscored Cristiano Ronaldo by four goals, with the Portuguese star finishing third in the Saudi Pro League goal charts.
According to Watkins, the contrasting playing styles between himself and Toney give the Three Lions valuable tactical flexibility.
“I think it’s great. Ivan and I are different types of players, and the team needs that. We need variety,” said Watkins, as quoted by MEN.
“Ivan is a proven goal scorer. He’s shown his quality throughout his career.”
“Even in the last Euros, he came on and made an impact when the team needed him. I also had my own important moment in the semifinals. His presence in the squad is valuable because he’s such a clinical finisher,” the England striker added.
There had been doubts about Watkins’ chances of making the squad after he missed two friendly matches against Uruguay and Japan in March due to injury.
However, the striker believes that his recovery period actually helped him regain top form with Aston Villa.
Watkins feels that missing national team duties allowed him to focus on rebuilding his rhythm at club level, which contributed to his outstanding season.
England will kick off their Group L campaign at the 2026 World Cup against Croatia on June 17. Thomas Tuchel’s side will then face Ghana on June 23 before concluding the group stage against Panama on June 27.
Indonesian volleyball legend Loudry Maspaitella has also caught the World Cup fever ahead of the tournament’s kickoff on June 12 in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
As a sportsman, Loudry Maspaitella doesn’t just follow the volleyball scene that made him famous but also keeps an eye on football. For the 2026 World Cup, Loudry—who won four SEA Games gold medals for Indonesia in 1991, 1993, 1997, and 2003—has his own set of favorite teams.
Interestingly, he doesn’t just support one team, but half a dozen. His six favorite national teams are all among the top contenders for the title.
“There’s Argentina, France, Spain, Brazil, Germany, and England,” Loudry Maspaitella told reporters on Friday night (May 29, Western Indonesia Time).
“Since it’s still early in the tournament, those countries are my favorites to win,” added Loudry, who now serves as the Deputy Chairman for Development and Achievement at the Indonesian Volleyball Federation (PP PBVSI).
In terms of strength, the nations mentioned by Loudry Maspaitella indeed form the core of the 2026 World Cup title contenders.
However, among the many stars set to feature at the 2026 World Cup, Loudry has singled out Inter Miami star Lionel Messi as his personal favorite.
“There are many young players emerging now, and I don’t follow all of them closely. But my favorite remains Lionel Messi,” he concluded.
(Giri)
