England’s starting lineup for the 2026 FIFA World Cup third-place match against France has generated plenty of discussion, and one of the biggest talking points is the absence of Ollie Watkins.
With Harry Kane beginning the match on the bench in Miami, many supporters expected the Aston Villa striker to receive his chance as England’s starting center forward.
Instead, Thomas Tuchel made a different decision, leaving Watkins out of the lineup and prompting questions from fans. As a consequence, there’s a big debate about why that happened.
Why isn’t Ollie Watkins playing today for England against France in 2026 World Cup?
Ollie Watkins is not starting for England against France because of a technical decision by Thomas Tuchel. Rather than replacing Harry Kane with Watkins, Tuchel has chosen to give Ivan Toney the opportunity to lead England’s attack in the third-place match.
The decision has surprised many supporters, who believed this was the ideal opportunity for Watkins to start after spending most of the tournament in a backup role. Tuchel believed it wasn’t.
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Despite arriving at the tournament as one of England’s attacking options, Watkins has received very limited opportunities under Thomas Tuchel. It’s totally Tuchel’s decision.
That represents a sharp contrast from UEFA Euro 2024, where the Aston Villa striker became one of England’s most valuable substitutes and delivered several important moments off the bench.
At the 2026 World Cup, however, Tuchel has consistently preferred Harry Kane as his first-choice striker, while Ivan Toney has now been selected to start in Kane’s place against France. Although Watkins remains available from the bench, his lack of playing time has become one of the more surprising storylines of England’s World Cup campaign.
