Ollie Watkins believes players coming off the bench could have a major influence on Englands World Cup campaign as the squad prepares for the challenges posed by the conditions in the United States.The Aston Villa forward made an immediate impact after being introduced during Englands 3-0 win over Costa Rica, scoring the third goal in the teams final public warm-up match before the tournament.Watkins was one of several substitutes to make a difference in Orlando, with Eberechi Eze, Bukayo Saka, Marcus Rashford and Morgan Rogers all helping England raise the tempo as their opponents began to tire.Table of ContentsHeat could increase importance of squad depthFinal preparations continueHeat could increase importance of squad depthWith matches set to be played in demanding temperatures and varying altitudes throughout the tournament, England manager Thomas Tuchel is expected to rotate his squad and rely heavily on players from the bench.Watkins believes those conditions will create opportunities for substitutes to influence games.Even from the bench you can feel how hot it is, he said.If its difficult when youre sitting there watching, you can imagine what its like for the players on the pitch trying to maintain a high intensity.The game tends to open up after 60 or 70 minutes and thats where fresh legs can really make a difference.Final preparations continueEnglands preparations are not quite complete despite the victory over Costa Rica.The squad will take part in a behind-closed-doors fixture against Miami FC before bringing their training camp in Florida to an end.Players will then be given a short break before travelling to Kansas City, where they will establish their tournament base.Watkins says the squad have put in a significant amount of work since arriving in the United States.Weve been working hard every day, he said.There have been plenty of training sessions, but even when were not on the training pitch weve had meetings and set-piece work.Its been a busy schedule, so it will be nice to have a little bit of downtime before we move on to Kansas. Topics England National Football Team Ollie Watkins Add us as a preferred source on Google If you enjoy reading this article, you can help support our independent football journalism by adding 101 Great Goals as a preferred source You Should Also Read World Cup Sweepstake Generator: Will you get England, Brazil, France or Curacao? Jon Fisher 11th June, 2026 England 3-0 Costa Rica Gordon stakes claim for World Cup start in friendly win Tom Rostance 11th June, 2026 Rice strikes early after rain delay for England Tom Rostance 10th June, 2026 England vs Costa Rica live: Kick-off delayed by an hour as teams confirmed for final friendly Tom Rostance 10th June, 2026 World Cup 2026: Where to watch FIFA football finals in UK, TV channel, live online streams, BBC and ITV schedule Ben Miller 10th June, 2026 World Cup 2026: Where to watch England and Scotland games on TV, full BBC and ITV listings, confirmed channels, schedule, live online streams, kick off times Ben Miller 10th June, 2026
